Dodgers Pursuing Their First Championship Since 1988

The Los Angeles Dodgers’ pursuit of their first championship since 1988 continues Wednesday at Fenway Park in Game 2 of the World Series. In the opener, the Boston Red Sox defeated the Dodgers, 8-4. The Dodgers fell one game short last season, losing in seven games to the Houston Astros.

“We’re a little bit spoiled in our expectations every year with the Dodgers, which is a great thing,” said Clayton Kershaw, who has helped lead the Dodgers to six consecutive National League West titles. “Going into spring training, every team says they want to win a World Series. But realistically that’s probably not an option for at least half the teams. So for us, when we say it, we really mean it. When we go to the postseason six times in a row, it becomes that much more evident that we’re very fortunate to be on a great team. But we’re still missing that ring.”

This Dodgers team found itself 16-26 in the middle of May but has since gotten healthier and deeper, with two stars — shortstop Manny Machado and third baseman Justin Turner — and a versatile group of interchangeable parts to help Manager Dave Roberts exploit matchup advantages.

The presence of Roberts evokes the start of the Red Sox renaissance. The team had gone 86 years without a championship before 2004, when a stolen base by Roberts in Game 4 of the American League Championship Series propelled Boston to a comeback victory over the New York Yankees. They went on to win the World Series in 2004, 2007 and 2013.

“I’ve got a lot of great memories, even flying into Logan,” Roberts said Monday. “Just this time of year, this city, the leaves changing — it all comes back to 2004, my teammates and coaches, and that energy only Fenway Park has.”

Roberts needs to make some more positive Fenway memories by winning at least one of the first two games before the World Series shifts to Dodger Stadium for Game 3 on Friday. The Red Sox will not be intimidated by playing far from home: They have won all five of their road games so far in this postseason.