Red Sox continue home dominance in WS

Boston takes 2-0 lead on LA to go 8-1 at Fenway since 2004

October 25th, 2018

The Red Sox are headed to Los Angeles with a 2-0 World Series lead over the Dodgers after a 4-2 win on Wednesday night at Fenway Park. A home World Series game victory for the Sox is something Boston fans have become accustomed to: The club has only lost once at Fenway over four World Series dating to 2004.
Here's a look at just how dominant the Red Sox have been in World Series games played at Fenway Park throughout the ballpark's 106-year history:
:: World Series schedule and results ::
• Including Wednesday night's win over the Dodgers, the Red Sox have played 36 World Series games at Fenway Park in franchise history, going 24-11-1 (.686 winning percentage). That includes an 8-1 record dating to 2004, when Boston won its first championship in 86 years.
• The Red Sox also won the first two World Series games at home the last time they played the Dodgers franchise in a Fall Classic way back in 1916. They packed their bags for Brooklyn with a 2-0 lead after starting pitcher Babe Ruth outdueled Robins southpaw Sherry Smith, 2-1, in 14 innings in Game 2. Boston eventually prevailed in five games.
• Over their past four World Series appearances, the Red Sox have now outscored their National League opponents, 60-25, at Fenway Park, a +35 run differential.
• In those nine home World Series games going back to 2004, the Red Sox have scored at least six runs six times. Meanwhile, their pitching staff has allowed exactly one run four times.
• Boston has either held a lead or been tied with its opponent at the end of 72 of 81 (88.9 percent) innings in World Series games at Fenway Park since the beginning of the 2004 Fall Classic.
• In those four World Series dating to 2004, the Red Sox's offense has slashed .278/.383/.428 at Fenway Park, while the opponents have hit just .208/.263/.287. NL teams have combined for just 14 extra-base hits in those nine contests, and have hit only three home runs.
• Boston wrapped up the regular season with the highest home run differential (+296) and overall record (132-71, a .650 winning percentage) in Interleague Play of any club dating to the start of the cross-league format in 1997. The Red Sox are also an MLB-best 32-8 against NL foes at home in regular-season play since 2015.

• Boston has played in 13 World Series dating to the first World Series to be played between the American League and NL champions. In 1903, the Boston Americans defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates in eight games (the World Series was a best-of-nine that year). That Series was the only one of the 13 the Red Sox have played in that took place before Fenway Park was built. At that time, Boston played its home games at the Huntington Avenue Baseball Grounds, which is today part of the Northeastern University campus.

• Carl Yastrzemski holds the record for most World Series hits at Fenway Park, with 13, hitting .394 at home during the 1967 and '75 World Series. Two players are tied for second, with nine apiece: Rico Petrocelli (.360 in home games between the 1967 and '75 World Series) and David Ortiz (.429 in home games between the 2004, '07 and '13 World Series). Yastrzemski and Ortiz are tied for the most World Series home runs hit at Fenway Park, with three each.