Freeman hits 1st walk-off slam in World Series history as Dodgers top Yankees 6-3 in classic opener

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A nail-biter each nighttime pinch a Hollywood ending.

Game 1 of Yankees-Dodgers surely delivered.

Freddie Freeman deed nan first game-ending expansive slam successful World Series history pinch 2 outs successful nan 10th inning to springiness nan Los Angeles Dodgers a 6-3 triumph complete nan New York Yankees successful a drama-filled opener Friday.

Los Angeles Dodgers’ Freddie Freeman is mobbed by teammates astatine location sheet aft his walk-off expansive slam location tally during nan 10th inning successful Game 1 of nan shot World Series against nan New York Yankees, Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, successful Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

“Might beryllium nan top shot infinitesimal I’ve ever witnessed, and I’ve witnessed immoderate awesome ones,” Dodgers head Dave Roberts marveled.

Hobbled by a severely sprained correct ankle, Freeman homered connected nan first transportation he saw — a 92 mph wrong fastball from Nestor Cortes — and raised his bat precocious earlier opening his trot arsenic nan sellout crowd of 52,394 roared.

“I cannot judge what conscionable happened,” Roberts said. “That’s what makes nan Fall Classic a classic, right, because nan stars travel retired and superstars make large plays, get large hits, successful nan biggest of moments. ... I’m speechless correct now.”

It was reminiscent of Kirk Gibson’s stunning homer that lifted Los Angeles complete nan Oakland Athletics successful Game 1 of nan 1988 World Series astatine Dodger Stadium — 1 of nan astir celebrated swings successful shot lore.

Fans guidelines during nan nationalist antehm earlier Game 1 of nan shot World Series, Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, successful Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Gibson, sidelined by limb injuries, came disconnected nan chair and connected against Hall of Fame person Dennis Eckersley.

“I played nan full game, though,” Freeman said pinch a smile.

Freeman, an eight-time All-Star who missed 3 games during nan National League playoffs because of his bum ankle, didn’t person an extra-base deed this postseason until legging retired a triple successful nan first inning Friday.

“Actually felt beautiful good,” said Freeman, who will donate his crippled spikes to nan Hall of Fame successful Cooperstown. “The past six days we treated it really well. I’ve been emotion beautiful good. Right erstwhile I ran retired to springiness high-fives to my teammates, I felt beautiful good, because that was nan first clip I ran each week. So, ankle’s good.”

After nan location run, Freeman ran complete to his father.

Los Angeles Dodgers' Freddie Freeman connects for a walk-off expansive slam location tally during nan 10th inning successful Game 1 of nan shot World Series against nan New York Yankees, Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, successful Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Freddie Freeman celebrates aft hitting a game-winning expansive slam against nan New York Yankees during nan 10th inning successful Game 1 of nan shot World Series, Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, successful Los Angeles. The Dodgers won 6-3. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

New York Yankees' Aaron Judge is tagged retired by Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith during nan 3rd inning successful Game 1 of nan shot World Series, Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, successful Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani reacts aft striking retired against nan Los Angeles Dodgers during nan 3rd inning successful Game 1 of nan shot World Series, Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, successful Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

“I was conscionable screaming successful his face. I’m sorry, dad,” Freeman said, laughing. “He’s been location since I was a small boy, throwing batting believe to maine each day. So this is simply a moment, it’s my dad’s moment.”

Giancarlo Stanton launched a two-run homer for New York successful this much-hyped, star-studded matchup betwixt 2 of baseball’s astir storied and successful franchises — nan 3rd consecutive World Series opener to spell other innings.

“You can’t beryllium present and mope. You can’t beryllium present and complain. You can’t shoulda, coulda, woulda,” Yankees slugger Aaron Judge said. “It’s clip to spell to work. We mislaid this game. Learn from it. See wherever we tin amended and spell retired location and triumph nan adjacent one.”

In nan apical of nan 10th, Anthony Volpe grounded into a fielder’s prime to shortstop, scoring Jazz Chisholm Jr. from 3rd aft he stole 2 bases, to springiness New York a 3-2 lead.

The speedy Chisholm singled disconnected winning pitcher Blake Treinen and past stole second. Following an intentional locomotion to Anthony Rizzo, Chisholm swiped 3rd guidelines uncontested arsenic Treinen was slow to nan sheet pinch Max Muncy playing heavy astatine third.

Tommy Edman made a diving extremity to his near connected Volpe’s grounder, but couldn’t get it retired of his mitt initially. He tossed to 2nd to get Rizzo retired arsenic Chisholm came flying location pinch nan go-ahead run.

Los Angeles Dodgers’ Freddie Freeman (5) slides into 3rd guidelines aft hitting a triple against nan New York Yankees during nan first inning successful Game 1 of nan shot World Series, Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, successful Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

But nan Dodgers weren’t done.

Gavin Lux walked against losing pitcher Jake Cousins pinch 1 retired successful nan bottommost of nan 10th and went to 2nd connected Edman’s infield azygous to second. Defensive replacement Oswaldo Cabrera knocked down nan shot pinch his mitt but it leaked into nan outfield.

That brought up star slugger Shohei Ohtani, a left-handed hitter. Yankees head Aaron Boone went to his bullpen again for Cortes, a lefty starter who hadn’t sounded since Sept. 18 because of an elbow injury.

After missing nan AL playoffs, Cortes was added to nan World Series roster Friday.

“I ran into nan (batting) cage and I told nan guys successful nan cage, this crippled should person been nan first shot crippled ever connected pay-per view,” Dodgers halfway fielder Kiké Hernández said.

Left fielder Alex Verdugo made a moving drawback successful foul territory to discontinue Ohtani connected Cortes’ first pitch. Verdugo’s momentum sent him tumbling complete nan debased retaining wall, advancing some runners 1 guidelines because by norm it became a dormant shot erstwhile Verdugo coiled up successful nan stands.

Los Angeles Dodgers' Mookie Betts (50) celebrates successful nan dugout aft hitting a sacrifice alert against nan New York Yankees during nan eighth inning successful Game 1 of nan shot World Series, Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, successful Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Freddie Freeman (5) celebrates aft hitting a game-winning expansive slam against nan New York Yankees during nan 10th inning successful Game 1 of nan shot World Series, Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, successful Los Angeles. The Dodgers won 6-3. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

With first guidelines open, New York intentionally walked Mookie Betts to load nan bases and group up a lefty-on-lefty matchup of Cortes against Freeman.

“I was connected clip for nan heater,” Freeman said.

His thrust into nan right-field pavilion sent Dodgers fans into a frenzy. It was nan 3rd walk-off homer successful World Series history for a squad that was trailing, pursuing Gibson’s changeable and Joe Carter’s thrust for nan Toronto Blue Jays that won nan 1993 World Series against Philadelphia.

Nelson Cruz deed nan only different game-ending expansive slam successful postseason history, for Texas successful nan 2011 American League Championship Series against Detroit.

“That’s stuff, you’re 5 years aged successful nan backyard correct there,” Freeman said. “That’s a dream travel true, but it’s only one. We’ve sewage 3 more.”

This is nan 12th clip nan Yankees and Dodgers are gathering successful nan World Series, nan astir predominant matchup successful awesome convention annals, but their erstwhile October conflict was 43 years ago.

While nan Dodgers are seeking their eighth title and 2nd successful 5 years, nan Yankees are successful nan Fall Classic for nan first clip since winning No. 27 successful 2009.

The first Series pinch a brace of 50-home tally hitters successful Judge (58) and Ohtani (54) opened softly arsenic Gerrit Cole, nan 2023 AL Cy Young Award winner, and Jack Flaherty dueled done 4 scoreless innings. Judge struck retired swinging successful his first 3 at-bats earlier hitting a azygous disconnected Brusdar Graterol pinch 2 outs successful nan seventh.

Ohtani was 0 for 3 earlier ripping a double disconnected nan right-field wall successful nan eighth. He raced to 3rd connected nan play erstwhile 2nd baseman Gleyber Torres mishandled Juan Soto’s throw, which became costly erstwhile Ohtani scored connected a sacrifice alert by Betts that tied it 2-all.

Los Angeles Dodgers’ Freddie Freeman (5) is met astatine location sheet aft hitting a walk-off expansive slam location tally during nan 10th inning successful Game 1 of nan shot World Series against nan New York Yankees, Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, successful Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

With 2 outs successful nan ninth, Torres sent a agelong thrust to left-center. A instrumentality wearing a Dodgers jersey reached complete nan wall and caught nan ball. Umpires ruled instrumentality interference and gave Torres a double, a telephone confirmed connected video replay. The instrumentality instantly near nan area.

Soto was intentionally walked earlier Judge popped retired against Treinen to extremity nan inning.

The Dodgers collapsed done for a 1-0 lead successful nan 5th erstwhile Hernández tripled past Soto successful correct section and scored connected Will Smith’s sacrifice fly.

The Yankees answered correct backmost successful nan sixth. Soto singled starring disconnected earlier Judge struck retired swinging for nan 3rd time. Stanton followed pinch a 412-foot changeable to near disconnected Flaherty for his 17th profession postseason homer. Stanton grew up successful nan adjacent San Fernando Valley, not acold from Flaherty’s hometown of Burbank.

Stanton, nan ALCS MVP, connected connected a knuckle-curve that hung somewhat astatine nan bottommost of nan onslaught zone. His sixth homer successful 11 games this postseason came disconnected his bat astatine 116.6 mph.

After past weekend’s pennant-clinching triumph astatine Cleveland, Stanton said, “This ain’t nan trophy I want. I want nan adjacent one.”

The Yankees past loaded nan bases. Chisholm singled disconnected Anthony Banda and stole second. After Rizzo struck out, Volpe was intentionally walked. Austin Wells reached connected an infield azygous that Edman smothered pinch a dive to prevention a tally earlier Verdugo struck retired swinging against his erstwhile team.

Fernando Valenzuela, nan 1981 NL Cy Young Award victor and Rookie of nan Year who died earlier this week astatine property 63, was honored pinch a infinitesimal of soundlessness earlier nan game.

UP NEXT

Game 2 is Saturday evening astatine Dodger Stadium, pinch Yankees LHP Carlos Rodón pitching against $325 cardinal rookie Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

Rodón is 1-1 pinch a 4.40 ERA successful 3 starts this postseason, pinch 22 strikeouts complete 14 1/3 innings. Yamamoto is 1-0 successful 3 postseason starts pinch a 5.11 ERA and 11 strikeouts successful 12 1/3 innings.

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