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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2018

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Red Sox beat Dodgers to win Pearce named World Series MVP

LOS ANGELES: The celebrate their 5-1 win over the in Game Five to win the at Dodger Stadium on Sunday in Los Angeles, California. —AFP

LOS ANGELES: Steve Pearce slammed a pair of home solo shot in the eighth. and J.D. Martinez against the Cleveland Indians in 2016 as they claimed The Dodgers, who were beaten by the Houston runs and tossed a seven-inning gem to hit solo home runs. Price said winning the World Series their first World Series crown in 108 years. Backed into Astros in last season’s World Series, hit back right away power the Boston Red Sox to a 5-1 win over the Los was the whole reason he came to Boston. “Seeing all a corner and with their bullpen worn out, the Dodgers when crushed a leadoff homer to get Los Angeles Dodgers and their fourth World Series title in these grown men over there just acting like little kids, turned to three-time Cy Young winner Clayton Angeles on the scoreboard. 15 years on Sunday. that’s what it’s all about,” he added. “To come out on Kershaw, while the Red Sox countered with their Cy The first-inning fireworks gave way to the pitching The Red Sox, after winning a franchise record and top the way we did is unreal. “This is why I came to Young winner Price. The chances of a Fall Classic battle many had predicted with Price and Kershaw set- Major League best 108 games during the reg- Boston. I know it is a tough place to play.” His two stel- pitchers duel seemed unlikely when both starters were tling down and tossing four shutout innings. Boston ular season, carried their domination all the way to the lar World Series starts, where he dominated the clobbered for first-inning home runs. After Andrew seized control in the sixth when Betts, in an 0-13 slump World Series and overwhelmed the Dodgers 4-1 in the Dodgers lineup, also put to rest any questions about his Binitendi singled, Pearce took the first pitch he saw at the plate, smashed a solo shot while Martinez con- best-of-seven series. ability to perform in the postseason. from Kershaw and launched into the center field nected for a leadoff homer in the seventh. The Red Sox clinched their ninth World Series title “It was tough, absolutely, to answer that question in bleachers for a 2-0 lead. Kershaw, who has never lived up to his Cy Young with a lethal combination of power and pitching. day after day, over and over and over “Baseball is a funny game, great things can happen credentials in the postseason, endured another rough Game Five starter Price surrendered one run on and over, anytime it got to September, playoffs,” the and I am very blessed to be here right now,” said outing and gave up four runs on seven hits in seven three hits in seven plus innings to collect his third veteran left-hander told reporters. “I hold all the cards Pearce, who has played for every team in the American innings of work. “There’s only one team that can win straight postseason win, while all the Red Sox runs now. And that feels so good.” League East. and we know that but it just hurts worse when you were scored via home runs. The Dodgers and their fans arrived at Chavez Ravine “This is the best feeling in my life. This is what you make it all the way and get second place,” said Pearce, who was named the World Series most valu- on Sunday knowing only 13 teams had clawed their way grow up wishing that you could be a part of, something Kershaw, whose future with the Dodgers is in doubt. able player, gave Boston a 2-0 lead they would never back from 3-1 deficits to win a best-of-seven postsea- like this. With that special group of guys out there, to “So having done that two years in a row now, it doesn’t relinquish with a two-run blast in the first and added a son series. The last to do it was the Chicago Cubs celebrate with them, that was awesome.” make it any easier.” — Reuters

Zinedine Zidane departed as coach in the wake of that ‘I was no longer game, something which Ronaldo admits confirmed to him that it might be time to move on. “My decision to leave was not based on him going. That indispensable’ said, it was one of the little details that confirmed to me what I had been thinking about the situation at the club,” Ronaldo said. He added that he would “deserve” to win the at Real: Ronaldo Ballon d’Or this year, and in doing so would pass Lionel Messi by taking the award for a sixth time. The winner of the prize, awarded by France Football, PARIS: Cristiano Ronaldo has said he decided to leave will be announced in early December. But while Ronaldo Real Madrid for Juventus after sensing that the Spanish continues to enjoy great success on the field, scoring twice club’s president, Florentino Perez, no longer saw him as for Juventus at the weekend, he remains embroiled in off- being “indispensable”. pitch problems after being accused of rape in the United “I felt within the club, especially from the president, States. A former American model Kathryn Mayorga, 34, of that I was no longer considered in the same way as I was Las Vegas, accused Ronaldo in a 32-page complaint filed at the beginning,” Ronaldo said in an interview with France last month with a district court in Nevada, of raping her in Football magazine. “For the first four or five years, I felt June 2009, just before he joined Madrid from Manchester like Cristiano Ronaldo. Less so after. United. “Of course this matter interferes with my life. I have “The president looked at me in a way that suggested I a partner, four children, an ageing mother, sisters, a brother, was no longer indispensable, if you know what I mean. a family with whom I am very close,” he told the magazine. That is what made me think about leaving.” The 33-year- “That is without talking about my reputation, that of an old Portuguese superstar joined Juventus in a 100 million- exemplary person. “Imagine what that is like to have some- euro ($115 million) deal in July, ending a glorious nine-year one say you are a rapist, or that you have this or that. association with Real. “I know who I am and what I did. The truth will come His last act with the Spanish club was to participate in out. And the people who criticise me and who expose my them winning the Champions League for a third consecu- life today, who make a song and dance about it, these peo- tive season by beating Liverpool in the final in May. But ple will see.” — AFP Cristiano Ronaldo