In a thrilling Game 1 of the World Series, the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the New York Yankees with a walk-off grand slam by Freddie Freeman in the 10th inning, giving the Dodgers a 1-0 series lead. Both starters, Gerrit Cole and Jack Flaherty, pitched four scoreless innings before the first run of the game came in the fifth inning when Will Smith hit a sac fly to score Kike Hernandez. The Yankees responded in the sixth inning with Giancarlo Stanton hitting a two-run homer, putting New York ahead 2-1.
The bullpens for both teams shut down the offenses until the eighth inning when Shohei Ohtani hit a double and later scored on a fly ball from Mookie Betts, tying the game at 2-2. The game went to extra innings with a fan interference call leaving Gleyber Torres at second base and Dodgers manager Dave Roberts opting to intentionally walk Juan Soto to face Aaron Judge. Judge was unable to capitalize on the opportunity, popping out to end the inning. In the top of the 10th, Jazz Chisholm stole second and third base, scoring on an Anthony Volpe ground ball to give the Yankees a 3-2 lead.
In the bottom of the 10th inning, with the bases loaded after an intentional walk to Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman hit a walk-off grand slam off Yankees pitcher Nestor Cortes to secure the victory for the Dodgers. It was a dramatic ending to a highly-anticipated matchup between the two historic franchises. The last time the Dodgers and Yankees faced off in the World Series was in 1981, with the Dodgers winning the series at Yankee Stadium. This game marked the first postseason meeting between the two teams in Los Angeles since that year.
The game featured standout performances from key players like Freeman, who came through in the clutch with his grand slam, and Stanton, who hit a crucial homer to put the Yankees ahead earlier in the game. Both teams showcased strong pitching performances from their starters and bullpen arms, with Luke Weaver making a notable appearance as the Yankees’ unexpected closer. The back-and-forth nature of the game kept fans on the edge of their seats until the final at-bat in extra innings.
Following the thrilling Game 1, the Dodgers and Yankees will meet again for Game 2 at Dodger Stadium. The matchup between these two historic franchises has generated widespread excitement among baseball fans, with the series poised to deliver more thrilling moments and intense competition. As the World Series unfolds, fans can expect to see more memorable plays and standout performances from some of the game’s top players. The stage is set for an epic battle between the Dodgers and Yankees as they vie for the championship title in this highly-anticipated series.
