View source for 1978 World Series

{{short description|75th edition of Major League Baseball's championship series}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2013}}
{{Infobox World Series Expanded
| image = 1978 World Series logo.gif
| image_size = 250
| country = World
| year = 1978
| champion = [[1978 New York Yankees season|New York Yankees]] (4)
| champion_manager = [[Bob Lemon]]
| champion_games = 100–63, {{winpct|100|63}}, GA: 1
| runnerup = [[1978 Los Angeles Dodgers season|Los Angeles Dodgers]] (2)
| runnerup_manager = [[Tommy Lasorda]]
| runnerup_games = 95–67, {{winpct|95|67}}, GA: {{frac|2|1|2}}
| date = October 10–17
| venue = [[Dodger Stadium]] (Los Angeles)<br />[[Yankee Stadium (1923)|Yankee Stadium]] (New York)
| MVP = [[Bucky Dent]] (New York)
| television = [[Major League Baseball on NBC|NBC]]
| announcers = [[Joe Garagiola Sr.|Joe Garagiola]], [[Tony Kubek]], and [[Tom Seaver]]
| radio_network = [[Major League Baseball on CBS Radio|CBS]]
| radio_announcers = [[Bill White (first baseman)|Bill White]] (in Los Angeles)<br>[[Ross Porter (American broadcaster)|Ross Porter]] (in New York)<br>[[Win Elliot]]
| umpires = [[Ed Vargo]] (NL), [[Bill Haller]] (AL), [[John Kibler]] (NL), [[Marty Springstead]] (AL), [[Frank Pulli]] (NL), [[Joe Brinkman]] (AL)
| HOFers = '''Yankees:'''<br />[[Goose Gossage]]<br />[[Catfish Hunter]]<br />[[Reggie Jackson]]<br />[[Yogi Berra]] (coach)<br />[[Bob Lemon]] (manager)<br />'''Dodgers:'''<br />[[Tommy Lasorda]] (manager)<br />[[Don Sutton]]
| ALCS = [[1978 New York Yankees season|New York Yankees]] over [[1978 Kansas City Royals season|Kansas City Royals]] (3–1)
| NLCS = [[1978 Los Angeles Dodgers season|Los Angeles Dodgers]] over [[1978 Philadelphia Phillies season|Philadelphia Phillies]] (3–1)
| image2 =
}}
The '''1978 World Series''' was the [[World Series|championship series]] of [[Major League Baseball]]'s (MLB) [[1978 Major League Baseball season|1978 season]]. The 75th edition of the World Series, it was a [[best-of-seven playoff]] played between the [[American League]] (AL) champion [[New York Yankees]] and the [[National League (baseball)|National League]] (NL) champion [[Los Angeles Dodgers]]. In a rematch of the [[1977 World Series|previous year's World Series]], the Yankees won, four games to two, to repeat as champions and to win their 22nd World Series. As of 2025, it remains the most recent World Series to feature a rematch of the previous season's matchup.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/|title = Major League Baseball & Major League Encyclopedia}}</ref>

The 1978 series was the first of 10 consecutive years that saw 10 different teams win the World Series. The [[Los Angeles Dodgers]] would break the string with a World Series win in [[1988 World Series|1988]], having won in [[1981 World Series|1981]].

This series had two memorable confrontations between Dodgers rookie pitcher [[Bob Welch (baseball)|Bob Welch]] and the Yankees' [[Reggie Jackson]]. In Game 2, Welch struck out Jackson in the top of the ninth with two outs and the tying and go-ahead runs on base to end the game.  Jackson would avenge the strikeout, when in Game 4 he singled off Welch which moved [[Roy White]] to second, from which White would score the game winning run on a [[Lou Piniella]] single to tie the series at 2-2.  In Game 6, Jackson smashed a two-run homer off Welch in the seventh to increase the Yankees' lead to 7–2 and a Yankees' victory to win the series.

The Yankees became the first team to lose the first two games of a World Series then win the next four. The Dodgers became the second vs. the Yankees three years later. 

==Background==
{{See also|1978 Major League Baseball postseason}}

===New York Yankees===
The [[1978 New York Yankees season|New York Yankees]] were as far back as 14 games behind the [[1978 Boston Red Sox season|Boston Red Sox]] at mid-July suffering from injuries to pitchers [[Catfish Hunter]] and [[Jim Beattie (baseball)|Jim Beattie]].  A public display of antipathy between manager [[Billy Martin]] and slugger [[Reggie Jackson]] resulted in the replacement of Martin by the amenable, easygoing [[Bob Lemon]] on July 17.  With time running out, the Yankees, four games behind the Red Sox in the [[American League East]], began a crucial four-game series at [[Fenway Park]] in Boston. On September 7, the Yanks began the "[[Yankees–Red Sox rivalry|Boston Massacre]]" with a {{nowrap|15–3}} drubbing of the BoSox, with [[second baseman]] [[Willie Randolph]] driving in five runs. (Randolph was sidelined in the postseason, due to a pulled hamstring in late September.)<ref name=remiws>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=7JczAAAAIBAJ&sjid=_OEDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6773%2C2888865 |work=Eugene Register-Guard |location=Oregon |agency=Associated Press |title=Rematch in World Series starts with John Figueroa |date=October 10, 1978 |page=5C}}</ref> The assault continued with the Yankees winning game two  {{nowrap|13–2,}} game three {{nowrap|7–0}} ([[Ron Guidry]] winning his 21st—a two-hitter), and an 18-hit, {{nowrap|7–4}} victory in game four, completing the [[Glossary of baseball (S)#sweep|sweep]]. The Yankees and Red Sox were now tied for first place with 20 games remaining for {{nowrap|both clubs.<ref name=tdmyt>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=v_lVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=CuIDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6573%2C3083438 |work=Eugene Register-Guard |location=Oregon |agency=wire services |title=Those Damn Yankees tie Red Sox for division lead |date=September 11, 1978 |page=3B}}</ref>}}

New York went {{winning percentage|48|20|record=y}} in their last 68 scheduled games, but lost on the final day to [[1978 Cleveland Indians season|Cleveland]] to finish the regular season in a dead-heat with Boston at {{winning percentage|99|63|record=y}}. The Yanks had to travel to Fenway for the [[1978 American League East tie-breaker game|one-game playoff]] on Monday, October 2. Down 2–0 after six innings, they won {{nowrap|5–4}}, made famous by light-hitting [[Bucky Dent]]'s clutch three-run homer in the seventh inning (his fifth of the year). [[Ron Guidry]] won his 25th game (against only three losses) and [[Goose Gossage]] recorded the last eight outs for his 27th save, retiring Hall of Famer [[Carl Yastrzemski]] with the tying run at third base for the final out.

===Los Angeles Dodgers===
In the [[National League (baseball)|National League]] the [[Los Angeles Dodgers]] were locked in a tight three-way race with the [[Dodgers–Giants rivalry|rival]] [[San Francisco Giants]] and [[Cincinnati Reds]] falling as far as {{frac|6|1|2}} games back.  Taking a lesson from the in-fighting Yankees, this normally close-knit group caught fire after a clubhouse fight between teammates [[Steve Garvey]] and [[Don Sutton]] in August, ultimately finishing {{frac|2|1|2}} games ahead of the [[Cincinnati Reds]].  Unlike the [[1977 Los Angeles Dodgers season|1977 Dodgers]] with four 30+ home run hitters, this [[Glossary of baseball (S)#squad|squad's]] leader in home runs was [[Reggie Smith]] with 29.  No pitcher won 20 or more games but five pitchers did win [https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/LAD/1978.shtml at least ten games].  Rookie [[Bob Welch (baseball)|Bob Welch]] was a key after being promoted from the minors, winning seven games and saving three while being utilized as both a starter and reliever.

During the World Series the Dodgers wore on their uniforms a black patch with the number 19 in dedication to coach [[Jim Gilliam]], who died from a [[brain hemorrhage]] two days before the start of the Series. His uniform number was retired by the Dodgers prior to the start of Game 1. [[Davey Lopes]], the Dodgers player closest to Gilliam,<ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1978/10/12/baseball-friends-pay-last-respects-to-gilliam/f013a70d-c3f6-4dbd-a192-caa5cdb64e3d/ Kindred, Dave. "Baseball, Friends Pay Last Respects to Gilliam," ''The Washington Post'', Thursday, October 12, 1978.] Retrieved October 25, 2020</ref> led the Series in home runs (3) and the team in [[slugging percentage]] (.654), [[on-base plus slugging]] (1.011) and runs scored and batted in (7 each).<ref>[https://www.baseball-reference.com/postseason/1978_WS.shtml 1978 World Series: New York Yankees over Los Angeles Dodgers (4&ndash;2) &ndash; Baseball-Reference.com.] Retrieved October 25, 2020</ref> His inspired play left Reggie Jackson saying, "Lopes is blatantly penetrated by the spirit of Gilliam."<ref>[https://archive.macleans.ca/article/1978/10/23/ghost-player-in-the-sky Quinn, Hal. "Ghost player in the sky," ''Maclean's'', October 23, 1978.] Retrieved October 25, 2020</ref>

===League Championship Series===
{{Main|1978 American League Championship Series|1978 National League Championship Series}}
In a repeat of the 1977 playoffs the Yankees again dispatched the [[Kansas City Royals]], this time three games to one as the Dodgers did the same to the [[Philadelphia Phillies]] by the same margin.  After losing the first two games of the World Series, the Yankees would become the first team to come back to win the Series in six. The Dodgers would duplicate that feat against the Yankees in the [[1981 World Series]].

==Summary==
{{MLB Playoff Summary
| summary = AL [[New York Yankees]] (4) vs. NL [[Los Angeles Dodgers]] (2)
| winner =
| score =
| score1 = New York Yankees – 5, '''Los Angeles Dodgers''' – 11
| date1 = October 10
| loc1 = [[Dodger Stadium]]
| time1 = 2:48
| att1 = 55,997
| ref1 = <ref name="Game1">{{cite web|url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1978/B10100LAN1978.htm|title=1978 World Series Game 1 - New York Yankees vs. Los Angeles Dodgers|access-date=September 13, 2009|publisher=Retrosheet}}</ref>
| score2 = New York Yankees – 3, '''Los Angeles Dodgers''' – 4
| date2 = October 11
| loc2 = Dodger Stadium
| time2 = 2:37
| att2 = 55,982
| ref2 = <ref name="Game2">{{cite web|url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1978/B10110LAN1978.htm|title=1978 World Series Game 2 - New York Yankees vs. Los Angeles Dodgers|access-date=September 13, 2009|publisher=Retrosheet}}</ref>
| score3 = Los Angeles Dodgers – 1, '''New York Yankees''' – 5
| date3 = October 13
| loc3 = [[Yankee Stadium (1923)|Yankee Stadium]]
| time3 = 2:27
| att3 = 56,447
| ref3 = <ref name="Game3">{{cite web|url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1978/B10130NYA1978.htm|title=1978 World Series Game 3 - Los Angeles Dodgers vs. New York Yankees|access-date=September 13, 2009|publisher=Retrosheet}}</ref>
| score4 = Los Angeles Dodgers – 3, '''New York Yankees''' – 4 <small>(10)</small>
| date4 = October 14
| loc4 = Yankee Stadium
| time4 = 3:17 (:38 delay)
| att4 = 56,445
| ref4 = <ref name="Game4">{{cite web|url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1978/B10140NYA1978.htm|title=1978 World Series Game 4 - Los Angeles Dodgers vs. New York Yankees|access-date=September 13, 2009|publisher=Retrosheet}}</ref>
| score5 = Los Angeles Dodgers – 2, '''New York Yankees''' – 12
| date5 = October 15
| loc5 = Yankee Stadium
| time5 = 2:56
| att5 = 56,448
| ref5 = <ref name="Game5">{{cite web|url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1978/B10150NYA1978.htm|title=1978 World Series Game 5 - Los Angeles Dodgers vs. New York Yankees|access-date=September 13, 2009|publisher=Retrosheet}}</ref>
| score6 = '''New York Yankees''' – 7, Los Angeles Dodgers – 2
| date6 = October 17
| loc6 = Dodger Stadium
| time6 = 2:34
| att6 = 55,985
| ref6 = <ref name="Game6">{{cite web|url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1978/B10170LAN1978.htm|title=1978 World Series Game 6 - New York Yankees vs. Los Angeles Dodgers|access-date=September 13, 2009|publisher=Retrosheet}}</ref>
}}

==Matchups==
===Game 1===
{{Linescore|
|Date=October 10, 1978
|Time=5:30{{nbsp}}pm ([[Pacific Time Zone|PT]])
|Location=[[Dodger Stadium]] in [[Los Angeles]], [[California]]
|Road=New York|RoadAbr=NYY
|R1=0|R2=0|R3=0|R4=0|R5=0|R6=0|R7=3|R8=2|R9=0|RR=5|RH=9|RE=1
|Home='''Los Angeles'''|HomeAbr=LAD
|H1=0|H2=3|H3=0|H4=3|H5=1|H6=0|H7=3|H8=1|H9=X|HR=11|HH=15|HE=2
|RSP=|HSP=
|WP=[[Tommy John]] (1–0)|LP=[[Ed Figueroa]] (0–1)|SV=
|RoadHR=[[Reggie Jackson]] (1)|HomeHR=[[Dusty Baker]] (1), [[Davey Lopes]] 2 (2)
||Other={{convert|71|F|C}}, clear}}

With Yankee ace [[Ron Guidry]] unavailable at least until Game 3, the Dodgers pounded 20-game winner [[Ed Figueroa]].  Figueroa left after two innings, allowing home runs to [[Dusty Baker]] and [[Davey Lopes]].  Lopes would add a three-run [[Glossary of baseball (S)#shot|shot]] in the fourth off [[Ken Clay]] to make it 6–0.  Another Dodger run crossed the plate in the fifth; [[Ron Cey]] scoring on a Clay wild pitch.

The Yankees tried to claw back in the seventh as [[Reggie Jackson]] homered and [[Bucky Dent]] singled in two runs, but the Dodgers bounced back with three of their own, two coming on a [[Bill North]] double.  The Dodgers would cruise to an easy Game 1 win from there.

===Game 2===
{{Linescore|
|Date=October 11, 1978
|Time=5:30{{nbsp}}pm (PT)
|Location=Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California
|Road=New York|RoadAbr=NYY
|R1=0|R2=0|R3=2|R4=0|R5=0|R6=0|R7=1|R8=0|R9=0|RR=3|RH=11|RE=0
|Home='''Los Angeles'''|HomeAbr=LAD
|H1=0|H2=0|H3=0|H4=1|H5=0|H6=3|H7=0|H8=0|H9=X|HR=4|HH=7|HE=0
|RSP=|HSP=
|WP=[[Burt Hooton]] (1–0)|LP=[[Catfish Hunter]] (0–1)|SV=[[Bob Welch (baseball)|Bob Welch]] (1)
|RoadHR=|HomeHR=[[Ron Cey]] (1)
||Other={{convert|71|F|C}}, partly cloudy}}

[[Ron Cey]] drove in all the Dodgers' runs with a single in the fourth and a three-run homer in the sixth off Yankee starter [[Catfish Hunter]]. [[Reggie Jackson]] would try to keep pace by batting in all three of the Yankee runs with a two-run double and RBI groundout, but this game would be remembered for one memorable Jackson at-bat.

Rookie [[Bob Welch (baseball)|Bob Welch]] was brought in to pitch the ninth to save the game for [[Burt Hooton]].  The previous reliever, Terry Forster, had allowed [[Bucky Dent]] and [[Paul Blair (baseball)|Paul Blair]] to reach base between outs, bringing up Jackson.  Welch ran the count to 3–2.  Jackson fouled off several pitches before Welch finally got a fastball by him, sending the [[Dodger Stadium]] crowd into a frenzy.

In post-game interviews, Jackson initially blamed his striking out on [[Bucky Dent]] running from second with the 3–2 pitch and distracting him from focusing on Welch.  In later interviews, however, Jackson would give Welch his proper due.

===Game 3===
{{Linescore|
|Date=October 13, 1978
|Time=8:30{{nbsp}}pm ([[Eastern Time Zone|ET]])
|Location=[[Yankee Stadium (1923)|Yankee Stadium]] in [[The Bronx|Bronx]], [[New York (state)|New York]]
|Road=Los Angeles|RoadAbr=LAD
|R1=0|R2=0|R3=1|R4=0|R5=0|R6=0|R7=0|R8=0|R9=0|RR=1|RH=8|RE=0
|Home='''New York'''|HomeAbr=NYY
|H1=1|H2=1|H3=0|H4=0|H5=0|H6=0|H7=3|H8=0|H9=X|HR=5|HH=10|HE=1
|RSP=|HSP=
|WP=[[Ron Guidry]] (1–0)|LP=[[Don Sutton]] (0–1)|SV=
|RoadHR=|HomeHR=[[Roy White]] (1)
||Other={{convert|66|F|C}}, cloudy}}

With the Yankees desperately needing a win, ace [[Ron Guidry]] provided a victory aided by the stunning defense of third baseman [[Graig Nettles]].

Guidry pitched a complete game, even though he allowed eight hits, walked seven, and struck out only four.  Nettles' defense saved at least four runs.

The Yankees got on the board in the first off [[Don Sutton]] on a [[Roy White]] homer and added a run in the second on an RBI forceout by [[Bucky Dent]].

In the third, the Dodgers began to come back against Guidry, who clearly did not have his best stuff. [[Bill North]] led off with a walk, stole second, then went to third on a [[Steve Yeager]] groundout. [[Davey Lopes]] hit a hard liner Nettles snared to turn a certain extra-base hit into a key out and temporarily save a run. [[Bill Russell (shortstop)|Bill Russell]] followed with an infield single to score North and drive in the Dodgers' only run.  The next batter, [[Reggie Smith]], hit a hard ground ball to third. Nettles made a diving stop to save another extra-base hit and probable run, and threw Smith out at first to end the inning.

In the fifth, the Dodgers had runners on first and second with two outs when Smith came up to bat.  Nettles knocked down Smith's sharply hit ground ball down the third base line.  Smith reached first, but no runs scored. [[Steve Garvey]], the next batter up, hit another hard ground ball down the third base line, and Nettles made a backhanded stop and forced Smith at second base to end the inning.  The Dodgers loaded the bases again with two outs in the sixth inning, but Nettles again made a great stop on a ball hit by [[Davey Lopes]], and threw to second to complete the inning-ending force play.

The Yankees would later add three more runs. [[Thurman Munson]] and [[Reggie Jackson]] had RBI singles in the rally that put the game out of reach.

===Game 4===
{{Linescore|
|Date=October 14, 1978
|Time=3:30{{nbsp}}pm (ET)
|Location=Yankee Stadium in Bronx, New York
|Road=Los Angeles|RoadAbr=LAD
|R1=0|R2=0|R3=0|R4=0|R5=3|R6=0|R7=0|R8=0|R9=0|R10=0|RR=3|RH=6|RE=1
|Home='''New York'''|HomeAbr=NYY
|H1=0|H2=0|H3=0|H4=0|H5=0|H6=2|H7=0|H8=1|H9=0|H10=1|HR=4|HH=9|HE=0
|RSP=|HSP=
|WP=[[Goose Gossage]] (1–0)|LP=[[Bob Welch (baseball)|Bob Welch]] (0–1)|SV=
|RoadHR=[[Reggie Smith]] (1)|HomeHR=
||Other={{convert|68|F|C}}, mostly cloudy w/ occasional showers}}

Starters [[Ed Figueroa]] and [[Tommy John]] were locked in a scoreless duel before [[Reggie Smith]] struck with a three-run homer in the top of the fifth inning. John continued his shutout through the fifth, but, in the Yankees' half of the sixth, they scored.

[[Reggie Jackson]] finally got the Yankees on the board with a one-out RBI single. With [[Thurman Munson]] on second and Jackson on first, [[Lou Piniella]] hit a low, soft liner that shortstop [[Bill Russell (shortstop)|Bill Russell]] fumbled (some claim intentionally). Russell recovered the ball, then stepped on second to force Jackson, then his attempted throw to first to complete the double play struck a "confused" Jackson in the right hip and caromed into foul territory.  Munson scored, partially because first baseman [[Steve Garvey]] stopped to yell at the first-base umpire over the non-interference call before retrieving the ball.
The Dodgers' protests went for naught but would not  have been necessary if Russell had made the proper play.
Thinking Russell was going to catch Piniella's liner, Munson retreated towards second and was ''on'' second base when Russell picked up the ball. Munson then turned to third and Russell stepped on second to force Jackson and threw to first. The inning would have been over if Russell had tagged Munson (out #2) and stepped on second (out #3) to force Jackson ''or'' Russell steps on second to force Jackson (out #2) and gets Munson in a rundown between second and third (out #3); the score would have remained 3–1, instead the score was then 3–2. But of course, Russell had no reason to the think his throw would not reach first base.

Later review of the play clearly showed Jackson had stopped midway between first and second when Russell had made his throw to first. As the ball carried very close to Jackson's immediate right, Jackson had moved his hips to the right just as the ball sailed past, deflecting the ball down the first base line. While Jackson continued to deny it, Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda, along with other eyewitnesses, steadfastly believed the Yankees outfielder purposefully interfered in the play.{{Citation needed|date=March 2011}}

The Yankees tied it in the eighth when Munson doubled home [[Paul Blair (baseball)|Paul Blair]].  The score remained tied until the bottom of the tenth inning.  Dodgers rookie and Game 2 hero [[Bob Welch (baseball)|Bob Welch]] walked [[Roy White]] with one out.  After Welch retired Munson, Jackson strode to the plate for his first confrontation with Welch since Game 2.  This time, Jackson got the better end by singling White to second. [[Lou Piniella]] then lined a single to center, scoring White and tying the series.

The bungled Russell/Jackson play changed the game and the entire Series; instead of the Dodgers going up 3–1 in games, the Series was then tied and the momentum shifted to the Yankees who outscored the Dodgers 19–4 in the final two games.

===Game 5===
{{Linescore|
|Date=October 15, 1978
|Time=4:30{{nbsp}}pm (ET)
|Location=Yankee Stadium in Bronx, New York
|Road=Los Angeles|RoadAbr=LAD
|R1=1|R2=0|R3=1|R4=0|R5=0|R6=0|R7=0|R8=0|R9=0|RR=2|RH=9|RE=3
|Home='''New York'''|HomeAbr=NYY
|H1=0|H2=0|H3=4|H4=3|H5=0|H6=0|H7=4|H8=1|H9=X|HR=12|HH=18|HE=0
|RSP=|HSP=
|WP=[[Jim Beattie (baseball)|Jim Beattie]] (1–0)|LP=[[Burt Hooton]] (1–1)|SV=
|RoadHR=|HomeHR=
||Other={{convert|52|F|C}}, partly cloudy}}

The Yankees took one step closer to a repeat World Series championship on the strength of an unexpected complete game victory by young [[Jim Beattie (baseball)|Jim Beattie]].  Beattie scattered nine Dodgers hits and was buoyed by an 18-hit Yankees performance, including a World Series-record 16 singles.

Early on, the Dodgers tried to run to take advantage of a sore-shouldered [[Thurman Munson]] behind the plate. [[Davey Lopes]] led off the game with a single, stole second, and scored on a [[Reggie Smith]] single.  The Dodgers stretched their lead to 2–0 in the third when Lopes scored again on a double by [[Bill Russell (shortstop)|Bill Russell]].

But, that would be it as Beattie settled down and shut out the Dodgers the rest of the way. In the bottom of the third, after a leadoff walk and single, [[Roy White]]'s RBI single cut the Dodgers' lead to 2–1. After a double steal, Munson's two-run single put the Yankees up 3–2. One out later, [[Lou Piniella]]'s RBI single made it 4–2 Yankees and knocked starter [[Burt Hooton]] out of the game. Next inning, after two one-out singles, [[Mickey Rivers]]'s RBI single and White's sacrifice fly made it 6–2 Yankees. [[Charlie Hough]] relieved [[Lance Rautzhan]] and allowed an RBI single to Munson. In the seventh, with runners on second and third and two outs, a strike three wild pitch by Hough to Rivers allowed a run to score and Rivers to reach first. White's RBI single made it 9–2 Yankees, then Munson's two-run double increased their lead to 11–2. They scored one more run in the eighth on [[Bucky Dent]]'s RBI double off Hough as their 12–2 win gave them a 3–2 series lead heading back to Los Angeles.

===Game 6===
{{Linescore|
|Date=October 17, 1978
|Time=5:30{{nbsp}}pm (PT)
|Location=Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California
|Road='''New York'''|RoadAbr=NYY
|R1=0|R2=3|R3=0|R4=0|R5=0|R6=2|R7=2|R8=0|R9=0|RR=7|RH=11|RE=0
|Home=Los Angeles|HomeAbr=LAD
|H1=1|H2=0|H3=1|H4=0|H5=0|H6=0|H7=0|H8=0|H9=0|HR=2|HH=7|HE=1
|RSP=|HSP=
|WP=[[Catfish Hunter]] (1–1)|LP=[[Don Sutton]] (0–2)|SV=
|RoadHR=[[Reggie Jackson]] (2)|HomeHR=[[Davey Lopes]] (3)
||Other={{convert|72|F|C}}, mostly cloudy}}

Game 6 turned out to be the [[Bucky Dent]]–[[Brian Doyle (baseball)|Brian Doyle]] show.

[[Davey Lopes]] gave the Dodgers home crowd a ray of hope with a leadoff home run off [[Catfish Hunter]].  Dent and Doyle put the Yankees ahead in the second; Doyle with an RBI double, Dent with an RBI single and an additional run scoring on an error on the play.  Lopes had an RBI single in the third to cut it to 3–2 through the fifth inning, but that would be it for the Dodgers. Sutton pitched well until the sixth inning. It was Hunter's first World Series victory since game 3 in 1974.

Dent and Doyle pushed the score to 5–2 in the sixth with RBI singles and [[Reggie Jackson]] put the final nail in the Dodgers coffin with a tremendous two-run blast in the seventh inning to get revenge against his Game 2 nemesis, [[Bob Welch (baseball)|Bob Welch]].

Dent would be named World Series MVP, batting .417 with ten hits, seven RBI, and three runs scored. Doyle would make a claim for the MVP himself with a .438 average, seven hits, two RBI, and four runs.

While Lopes had a monster series with three homers and seven RBIs and [[Bill Russell (shortstop)|Bill Russell]] had 11 hits, the Dodgers power hitters lack of production and the Dodgers shoddy defense was their downfall. [[Steve Garvey]] (5–for–24, no RBIs) was no factor, and neither were [[Dusty Baker]] (5–for–21, one RBI) or [[Ron Cey]] (no RBIs after Game 2) and the Dodgers defense committed seven errors.

[[Thurman Munson]] caught the final out of the game on a foul pop by Cey. This would be the final post-season game for Thurman Munson before his [[Thurman_Munson#Death|death]] during the 1979 season.

==Composite box==
1978 World Series '''(4–2): [[New York Yankees]] (A.L.)''' over [[Los Angeles Dodgers]] (N.L.)
{{Linescore
|Road='''[[New York Yankees]]'''
|R1=1|R2=4|R3=6|R4=3|R5=0|R6=4|R7=13|R8=4|R9=0|R10=1|RR=36|RH=68|RE=2
|Home='''[[Los Angeles Dodgers]]'''
|H1=2|H2=3|H3=3|H4=4|H5=4|H6=3|H7=3|H8=1|H9=0|H10=0|HR=23|HH=52|HE=7
|TotalAttendance=337,304 |AveAttendance=56,217
|WinPlayerShare=$31,237 |LosePlayerShare=$25,483<ref name="wsshares">{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-almanac.com/ws/wsshares.shtml|title=World Series Gate Receipts and Player Shares|access-date=June 14, 2009|publisher=Baseball Almanac| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090502011628/http://www.baseball-almanac.com/ws/wsshares.shtml| archive-date= May 2, 2009 | url-status= live}}</ref>
}}

==Broadcasting==
[[Major League Baseball on NBC|NBC]] televised the World Series, with [[Joe Garagiola]] on play-by-play and [[Tony Kubek]] and [[Tom Seaver]] providing color analysis. [[Curt Gowdy]] hosted the pregame shows and conducted interviews. This was the final World Series broadcast for Gowdy, who'd previously called play-by-play of the event for NBC from 1966 to 1975.

[[Major League Baseball on CBS Radio|CBS Radio]] also broadcast the World Series, with Yankees announcer [[Bill White (first baseman)|Bill White]] calling the games in Los Angeles, Dodgers announcer [[Ross Porter (sportscaster)|Ross Porter]] calling the games in New York, and [[Win Elliot]] providing color commentary. This was the last time that local announcers for the participating teams would call games on the national World Series radio broadcast.

==Aftermath==
This Series is tied with the [[1980 World Series]] for the highest overall television ratings to date, with the six games averaging a [[Nielsen rating]] of 32.8 and a share of 56.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-almanac.com/ws/wstv.shtml|title=World Series Television Ratings|publisher=Baseball Almanac|access-date=January 31, 2010| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100115024001/http://baseball-almanac.com/ws/wstv.shtml| archive-date= January 15, 2010 | url-status= live}}</ref>

The [[New York Yankees|Yankees]] became the last repeat World Champions until 15 years later ({{wsy|1992}}–{{wsy|1993}}; [[Toronto Blue Jays]]). This was the last time the Yankees won a World Series until {{wsy|1996}}, and the last World Series championship for the city of New York until the Yankees' [[Mets–Yankees rivalry|cross-town rival]]s, the [[New York Mets|Mets]], won in {{wsy|1986}} when they defeated the Red Sox four games to three. The Dodgers won the World Series in {{wsy|1981}}, against the Yankees in the same way the Yankees won this series (losing the first two games, then winning the next four), and {{wsy|1988}}, against the [[Oakland Athletics]]. For the Yankees, they again lost the first two games of the World Series in 1996 against the [[Atlanta Braves]], then won the next four games.

{{As of|2025}}, this is the last time that the Yankees defeated the Dodgers in the World Series.

For the Dodgers in Los Angeles, this was the first time they had lost back-to-back World Series appearances, as that feat would occur 39 years later, losing in [[2017 World Series|2017]] to the [[2017 Houston Astros season|Astros]], and in [[2018 World Series|2018]] to the Yankees chief rival [[2018 Boston Red Sox season|Red Sox]].

==Notes==
{{Reflist|2}}

==See also==
*[[1978 Japan Series]]
*''[[Manhattan (1979 film)|Manhattan]]'' - Actors [[Woody Allen]] and [[Mariel Hemingway]] were in attendance for Game 3 at [[Yankee Stadium (1923)|Yankee Stadium]] while filming the 1979 movie ''Manhattan''. [[Major League Baseball on NBC|NBC]]'s cameras caught the duo sitting behind the [[1978 New York Yankees season|Yankees]]' dugout as third baseman [[Graig Nettles]] was running back to it at the end of the top of the third inning.

==References==
{{WSRefs|year=1978|cohenpp=371–376|reichlerp=2206}}
*{{cite web |author=Forman, Sean L. |title=1978 World Series |work=Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/postseason/1978_WS.shtml |access-date=December 9, 2007| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20071130235334/http://www.baseball-reference.com/postseason/1978_WS.shtml| archive-date= November 30, 2007 | url-status= live}}

==External links==
{{WSExtLinks|year=1978}}
* [http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/baseballs_best/mlb_bb_gamepage.jsp?story_page=bb_78aleast_playoff_nyybos 1978 AL East Playoff at MLB.com] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061011233206/http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/baseballs_best/mlb_bb_gamepage.jsp?story_page=bb_78aleast_playoff_nyybos |date=October 11, 2006 }}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20010127150700/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/baseball/mlb/features/1997/wsarchive/1978.html The Yankee D Boys did Double Duty at SI.com]
* [http://www.sportingnews.com/baseball/25moments/14.html The Sporting News' Baseball's 25 Greatest Moments: Over the Green Monster at SportingNews.com]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070409021830/http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseballlibrary/teams/1978yankees.stm The 1978 New York Yankees at baseballlibrary.com]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070615201107/http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseballlibrary/teams/1978dodgers.stm The 1978 Los Angeles Dodgers at baseballlibrary.com]

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[[Category:World Series]]
[[Category:1978 Major League Baseball season|World Series]]
[[Category:New York Yankees postseason]]
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[[Category:1978 in Los Angeles|World Series]]
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