Freddie Freeman was the Dodgers’ hero in Friday night’s World Series opener against the New York Yankees. He hit a walk-off home run with the bases loaded in the 10th inning, giving the Dodgers a 6-3 victory. (Photo by Rob Reiter/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
Game 1 of the World Series lived up to the hype of the Los Angeles Dodgers vs. New York Yankees Fall Classic, with Freddie Freeman as the hero.
The Dodgers first baseman hit a walk-off home run with the bases loaded in the 10th inning, capping off a dramatic game. The Yankees were leading 3-2 in the top of the 10th inning when Freeman hit a monster 423-foot home run, giving his team a 6-3 victory and a 1-0 lead in the World Series. .
This was the first walk-off grand slam in World Series history.
Freeman has played with a limp throughout the postseason since spraining his ankle in the final week of the regular season. He didn’t hit a single extra-base hit in the National League game and sat out some games to rest his ankle, but he did hit a grand slam and a triple on Friday.
The play was very reminiscent of Kirk Gibson’s walk-off home run in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series against the Oakland Athletics. In both cases, the injured first baseman hit a home run. Gibson’s game still resonates in Dodgers history, and if the Dodgers can do that in the next few games, this one will too.
There was a lot of drama before the Grand Slam. The Dodgers scored first, but the Yankees countered with a huge home run by Giancarlo Stanton. Both starting pitchers Gerrit Cole and Jack Flaherty got off to a good start, but Flaherty was eliminated.
Shohei Ohtani led off the tying run with a double in the eighth inning, got the third run on an error, and scored on Mookie Betts’ sacrifice fly. The Yankees almost took the lead in the ninth inning, but a fan caught Gleyber Torres’ fly ball and it was ruled a double.
Then, in the top of the 10th inning, Jazz Chisholm Jr.’s timely hit gave the Yankees the lead. He singled off the Dodgers’ top reliever, Blake Treinen, stole second and third, then scored on Anthony Volpe’s fielder’s choice RBI. It could have been a big win for the Yankees, but it ended up being a historic win for the Dodgers.
The series now moves on to Game 2 on Saturday, with Los Angeles’ Yoshinobu Yamamoto and New York’s Carlos Rodon scheduled to start.
Here’s what happened on Yahoo Sports.
Over 110 live coverages
Saturday, October 26, 2024, 12:13am EDT
Vin Scully’s call on Kirk Gibson’s walk-off home run in 1988 and Joe Davis’ call on Freddie Freeman’s walk-off grand slam home run:
High fly ball to right field, she’s gone!
She’s gone! Gibby, meet Freddy! Compete in one of the World Series!
This is what baseball is all about. pic.twitter.com/x2Lu6RuaS1
— MLB Metrics (@MLBMetrics) October 26, 2024
Friday, October 25, 2024, 11:59 PM EDT
Las Vegas really likes the Dodgers’ chances to win the World Series. If they miss out on Gerrit Cole’s hot start, that’s going to happen no matter what the outcome is.
Friday, October 25, 2024, 11:49 PM EDT
In any case, Game 2 is scheduled for Saturday at 5:08 p.m. PT, with Carlos Rodon and Yoshinobu Yamamoto scheduled to start.
Friday, October 25, 2024 11:48 PM EDT Friday, October 25, 2024 11:48 PM EDT Friday, October 25, 2024 11:47 PM EDT
So this game had Jeffrey Meyer and Kirk Gibson. What more could you want from a Yankees vs. Dodgers World Series?
Friday, October 25, 2024, 11:46 PM EDTFriday, October 25, 2024, 11:40 PM EDT
Freddie Freeman sprained his ankle during the Dodgers’ penultimate series of the regular season. He clearly hobbled in the NLDS and NLCS, missing games and failing to record any extra-base hits.
And then he came back and hit a triple and a grand slam. baseball.
Friday, October 25, 2024, 11:39 PM EDT
Freddie Freeman won. He hit Cortez’s first pitch into the right-field stands, and the Dodgers won Game 1, 6-3.
The second match on Saturday will pit Yoshinobu Yamamoto against Carlos Rodon.
Friday, October 25, 2024, 11:38 PM EDT
Dodgers 6, Yankees 3
Overtime walk-off grand slam
Friday, October 25, 2024, 11:36 PM EDT
Ohtani swung the first pitch and sent the ball into the foul area, where Alex Verdugo made an acrobatic play to get two outs. The Yankees walked Mookie Betts and chose to play left-hander Nestor Cortez against Freddie Freeman, another player returning from injury. This is some kind of drama.
Friday, October 25, 2024, 11:32 PM EDT
Tommy Edman puts another runner on base.
And now, Shohei Otani. There are two. One out. Bottom of the 10th inning. He will be facing starting pitcher Nestor Cortez, who has been out for a month with an elbow injury.
This is why everyone was so excited about the 2024 World Series.
Friday, October 25, 2024, 11:21 PM EDT
Gavin Lux drew a walk against Jake Cousins, which was huge. In other words, barring a double play, the Dodgers will have Shohei Ohtani at bat.
Friday, October 25, 2024, 11:21 PM EDT
Yankees 3, Dodgers 2
Anthony Volpe hit a grounder, but Tommy Edman stopped it, but no play went home. Jazz Chisholm’s foot ended up being the difference in overtime.
Friday, October 25, 2024, 11:19 PM EDT
Chisholm stole third without a throw from Will Smith. He will now be an infielder for the Dodgers.
Friday, October 25, 2024, 11:16 PM EDT
Jazz Chisholm singled and stole second. With one out, the Yankees got the winning point into scoring position. After the Dodgers were down 3-0 on Anthony Rizzo, Anthony Volpe came on and intentionally chose to walk him.
Friday, October 25, 2024, 11:15 PM EDT
Since then, no World Series opener has gone to overtime.
last year
And the year before that!
This is the first time it has happened three times in a row.
— Jason Stark (@jaysonst) October 26, 2024
Friday, October 25, 2024, 11:14 PM EDT
Blake Treinen stayed on and struck out Giancarlo Stanton on three pitches. This would be a huge out for the Dodgers for the rest of the series.
Friday, October 25, 2024, 11:13 PM EDT
Luke Weaver pitches a 1-2-3 ninth inning.
In the top of the 9th inning, Enrique Hernandez hit the winning hit into the left field seats. It looked like the pop-up would be a hit, but the rushing Alex Verdugo made a diving catch and found the frame.
I’ll go up to 10 times!
Friday, October 25, 2024, 11:11pm EDT
Max Muncy pops out to second base.
Luke Weaver messed up Max Muncy’s timing with his changeup. Muncy hit a pitch up the middle, but Weaver missed something and it didn’t go very well.
