There’s still hope for Yankees — even if that World Series loss was as devastating as it gets

You don’t ever get Game 1s for illustration this one. And erstwhile they wound you, it hurts. This one’ll hurt. The Yankees were 1 retired distant from nan astir singular triumph you’ll ever see. Instead Freddie Freeman deed 1 to Santa Barbara.

Freddie Freeman, longtime Mets killer.

Freddie Freeman, newfound Yankees killer. His expansive slam ended this one, turning a 3-2 Yankees lead it into a 6-3 Dodgers win. It really was something.

Nobody makes declarations astir winning nan first crippled of nan World Series. That’s expected to beryllium nan beauty of a seven-game series, aft all: you tin stub your toed early and still recover. There person been capable teams to stub their toes early doubly and still recover. We person seen it clip and again.

Still, taking nan opener is simply a bully step. Since nan wild-card era began successful 1995, nan squad that has won Game 1 has gone connected to triumph 23 retired of 29 times. That’s a percent of .793, and that’s beautiful definitive. It’s happened 5 of nan past six years. It’s a thing.

But it’s not everything.

And nary postseason narration underlines this much than nan Dodgers and nan Yankees. In this case, winning Game 1 is fundamentally a 60-40 chance for nan winner, and successful nan 2 astir caller examples nan eventual victor not only mislaid nan first crippled but nan first TWO games. And still recovered.

Taking a look backward:

1981

Game 1: Yankees 5, Dodgers 3

Series: Dodgers 4, Yankees 2

The Yankees had travel flying into nan World Series playing their champion shot of nan season, swiping a do-or-die Game 5 of nan strike-mandated ALDS from nan Brewers and past smoking nan Oakland A’s of Billy Martin successful 3 straight. They kept it up successful nan Series, winning 5-3 down Ron Guidry and 3-0 down Tommy John astatine Yankee Stadium. But nan Yankees blew leads successful 3 consecutive games astatine Dodger Stadium, and past nan Dodgers hammered nan Yankees 9-2 successful Game 6.

Follow The Post’s sum of nan Yankees successful nan postseason:

• Yankees suffer Game 1 connected walk-off expansive slam
• Fan interferes pinch near-homer successful arguable play
• Aaron Judge fails to present again successful clutch successful Game 1
• Giancarlo Stanton’s basking postseason continues pinch two-run homer

1978

Game 1: Dodgers 11, Yankees 5

Series: Yankees 4, Dodgers 2

Davey Lopes deed 2 location runs and nan Dodgers jumped to an 8-0 lead earlier cruising successful Game 1, past hit Catfish Hunter successful Game 2. Game 3 backmost successful New York turned acknowledgment to Graig Nettles’ glove, and Game 4 because of Reggie Jackson’s hip. By then, nan Yankees had nan momentum and pounded L.A. successful Game 5 (12-2) and Game 6 (7-2).

1977

Game 1: Yankees 4, Dodgers 3 (12)

Series: Yankees 4, Dodgers 2

After nan Dodgers scored a tally successful nan ninth disconnected Sparky Lyle, Paul Blair played nan leader by driving successful Willie Randolph pinch a azygous disconnected Rick Rhoden successful nan 12th for nan win. The Dodgers won Games 2 and 5, but successful his last at-bat successful Game 5, Reggie Jackson launched a homer, and 2 nights later he had 3 much successful him for nan triumph and for nan ages.

1963

Game 1: Dodgers 5, Yankees 2

Series: Dodgers 4, Yankees 0

Sandy Koufax group nan reside pinch 15 strikeouts successful Game 1, and nan Yankees ne'er could get their bats untracked, scoring only 5 runs nan full series.

1956

Game 1: Dodgers 6, Yankees 3

Series: Yankees 4, Dodgers 3

Reversing 1955, nan Dodgers won nan first 2 games astatine home, but starting pinch Don Larsen’s cleanable crippled successful Game 5, nan Dodgers scored 1 tally successful nan past 3 games, including nary successful a 9-0 slamming astatine Ebbets Field successful Game 7.

1955

Game 1: Yankees 6, Dodgers 5

Series: Dodgers 4, Yankees 3

Next Year took its clip arriving for nan Dodgers, who dropped nan first 2 games astatine Yankee Stadium (including Game 1, erstwhile Jackie Robinson stole home) but successful that aforesaid stadium six days later, a 2-0 triumph gave nan Dodgers their first-ever title.

1953

Game 1: Yankees 9, Dodgers 5

Series: Yankees 4, Dodgers 2

The Yanks won Game 1 acknowledgment to a Yogi Berra homer past walked disconnected pinch nan title successful Game 6 erstwhile Billy Martin drove successful Hank Bauer successful nan bottommost of nan ninth.

1952

Game 1: Dodgers 4, Yankees 2

Series: Yankees 4, Dodgers 3

Brooklyn led nan Series 1-0, 2-1 and 3-2, but mislaid Game 6 and past Billy Martin saved Game 7 pinch his scrambling shoe-top drawback of a Jackie Robinson pop-up that everyone other mislaid successful nan sun.

1949

Game 1: Yankees 1, Dodgers 0

Series: Yankees 4, Dodgers 1

Tommy Henrich collapsed Don Newcombe’s bosom pinch a ninth-inning walk-off successful Game 1, and soon nan remainder of Brooklyn would consciousness nan aforesaid sadness.

1947

Game 1: Yankees 5, Dodgers 3

Series: Yankees 4, Dodgers 3

Yankees hit 21-game-winner Ralph Branca successful Game 1 past overcame all-time heroics by Cookie Lavagetto and Al Gionfriddo.

1941

Game 1: Yankees 3, Dodgers 2

Series: Yankees 4, Dodgers 1

Joe Gordon drove successful nan winning tally successful Game 1 and nan Dodgers ne'er could tie even, acknowledgment successful ample portion to Mickey Owen’s passed ball.