Los Angeles had benefited from the amazing arm of Orel Hershiser who had ended the regular season with a record-breaking fifty-nine consecutive scoreless innings as well as one win and one save in the National League Championship Series. In 1988, the World Series Championship was transformed into a "California Classic" as the Los Angeles Dodgers went up against the neighboring Oakland Athletics. The Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Oakland Athletics 4 games to 1. The 1988 World Series matched the Oakland Athletics against the Los Angeles Dodgers, with the Dodgers upsetting the heavily favored A's to win the Series in five games (the exact opposite result of their 1974 meeting, which also went five games). 1988 World Series - Los Angeles Dodgers over Oakland Athletics (4-1) series statistics and schedule. Click on the '1988 World Series' link on this page to see a game by game breakdown.