World Series Game 1: Freeman lifts Dodgers with incredible 10th-inning walk-off grand slam

Los Angeles leads series 1-0

Dodgers: The Dodgers have continually advanced in these playoffs in large part because their offense is relentless. It showed once again in Game 1 of the World Series. And though they couldn’t capitalize on premium run-scoring opportunities in the sixth and seventh innings, coming away with no runs despite putting a runner in scoring position with no outs each time, they finally busted through in the 10th.

Jazz Chisholm Jr. had manufactured a run for the Yankees in the top half, singling, stealing two bases and coming around to score on a groundout, but the Dodgers came right back. They put runners on first and second with one out, saw both runners advance after Alex Verdugo spilled over the fence making a spectacular catch — and they sent Freddie Freeman up with the bases loaded, watching him deliver the walk-off grand slam. Freeman’s sprained right ankle has been a problem all month, so much so that he wasn’t in the starting lineup for the pennant-clinching game of the National League Championship Series. But he got almost a full week to heal and felt good coming into Game 1, a night when the Dodgers needed him in the lineup because of the matchup against Gerrit Cole. Throughout the playoffs, Freeman’s toughness has inspired teammates. On this night, it directly led to an improbable victory. — Alden Gonzalez

Yankees: Aaron Boone’s decision to give the ball to Nestor Cortes with one out in the 10th inning will be dissected in every which way. Tim Hill, the Yankees’ best left-handed reliever this postseason, has given up one earned run across 5⅔ innings in seven playoff appearances. He pitched in all five American League Championship Series games. Cortes hadn’t pitched since Sept. 18 because of a flexor strain in his left forearm. It was a huge spot for someone who hasn’t pitched in five weeks. Alex Verdugo‘s superb catch down the left-field line, into the stands, brought Cortes within an out of closing the game. But Freeman, sitting fastball, got a fastball and ended a wild baseball game. — Jorge Castillo

Ohtani/Judge Tracker: After an uneventful first three at-bats, Shohei Ohtani made his first big impression in the 2024 World Series when he blasted a ball off the right-field fence in the eighth inning for a double — and advanced to third on a defensive gaffe by the Yankees before scoring the tying run on a Mookie Betts‘ sacrifice fly. Aaron Judge‘s 2024 postseason woes spilled into the World Series as he struck out in each of his first three at-bats. The Yankees superstar did avoid an oh-fer to start the series with a seventh-inning single.

Ohtani: 1-for-5, 1 R, 0 RBI
Judge: 1-for-5, 0 R, 0 RBI

The big question for Game 2: Teams come back from gut punches. But walk-off-grand-slam-in-Game 1-of-the-World Series-level gut punches? We’re about to find out. Because the Yankees lost in the worst way imaginable. They played sloppy defensively and got away with it. They stole a run in the 10th inning with Chisholm’s legs. And when Aaron Boone intentionally walked Mookie Betts to load the bases for Freddie Freeman — who entered Game 1 without a single extra-base hit this postseason — he was taking a risk but couldn’t have imagined that Freeman would hit one of the biggest home runs in years.

It’s the sort of thing that can crush a team, and Boone is going to need to rally his team before Game 2 to ensure this series doesn’t spiral before the Yankees head home. There are no pep talks or anything one can say to take away the pain of losing like that. The Yankees simply need to understand: They’re here for a reason, regardless of how much it hurts. And they need to find that belief again quickly. — Jeff Passan

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