The Dodgers, though, needed a throwing error on Kinsler with two outs in the 13th to forge a 2-2 tie. That came three innings after Kinsler was thrown out at home plate trying to score on an Eduardo Nunez flyball to center field.
The out at home shouldn’t be held against Kinsler, though Red Sox fans were perturbed by his entire trip around the bases. He was nearly picked off at first base as a pinch runner, and he slid past third base after a single by Brock Holt of Stephenville.
Kinsler, though, would have been better off holding onto the ball after stumbling while fielding a Yasiel Puig grounder rather than attempting to a throw.
It was well wide of first baseman Christian Vazquez, who had replaced former Ranger Mitch Moreland, allowing the tying run to score and turning one of the longest games in World Series history into the longest at 7 hours, 20 minutes.
“I’m just trying to do whatever I can to help this team win,” Kinsler told reporters. “I feel terrible. I feel like I let the team down right there.
Muncy, who went to Baylor, ended it with an opposite-field shot off hard-throwing right-hander Nathan Eovaldi. It was the latest big moment in an out-of-nowhere season for Muncy, who opened 2018 at Triple A.
The 28-year-old was promoted in mid-April and by the All-Star break was so indispensable to the Dodgers and was hitting homers at such a high rate that he participated in the Home Run Derby during All-Star festivities.
He finished the season with 35 homers and a .973 OPS over 395 at-bats. His 11.3 at-bats per homer rate led MLB.
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