For a file third season in a row, Sport 1 of the World Collection wanted additional innings to resolve a winner. This time, the Los Angeles Dodgers topped the New York Yankees, 6-3, in an extra-innings instantaneous traditional to seize a 1-0 benefit within the best-of-seven Fall Basic.
With the bases juiced within the tenth inning, Freddie Freeman turned on a first-pitch fastball from Yankees reliever Nestor Cortes Jr. for a game-sealing, no-doubt grand slam.
Listed below are 4 takeaways from the motion:
Freddie Freeman performs the function of Kirk Gibson in Sport 1
Thirty-six years since Gibson’s iconic house run off Dennis Eckersley within the 1988 World Collection, Freeman created an identical “The place had been you?” second to cap off an unforgettable Sport 1. Whereas Freeman was nursing just one unhealthy leg, his monstrous grand slam will perpetually dwell in Dodgers and World Collection lore.
Within the NLDS in opposition to the San Diego Padres, Freeman suffered a severely sprained ankle, which might sometimes hold a participant off the sector for weeks. Nevertheless, that is the postseason, the place the most effective not solely play by means of the ache however thrive on it.
Freeman completed 3-for-18 within the NLCS versus the New York Mets however would reply on the largest stage, recording a triple and the primary walk-off grand slam in World Collection historical past. It is a second that can be replayed for many years whereas additionally giving the Dodgers an unbelievable momentum increase with a fast turnaround earlier than Sport 2.
Aaron Boone’s decision-making doomed Yankees
Yankees starter Gerrit Cole pitched a gem, holding the Dodgers to just one run by means of six innings of labor regardless of drawing solely six swings and misses. Nevertheless, supervisor Aaron Boone panicked, pulling Cole after permitting a lead-off single to begin the sixth inning with a 2-1 lead.
Tasking his bullpen with getting by means of the highest of the Dodgers lineup twice finally got here again to chew the Yankees. After Tommy Kahnle and Luke Weaver gave up the lead, Boone made his second questionable determination.
With two on and one out within the backside of the tenth inning, Boone determined now could be the most effective time to present Cortes his first motion since Sept. 18. The left-hander survived Shohei Ohtani due to an incredible catch by Alex Verdugo, however after deliberately strolling Mookie Betts, crumbled below stress, giving up a first-pitch grand slam by Freeman.
Giancarlo Stanton’s redemption tour continues, however Aaron Decide must be higher
Regardless of the loss, Stanton has hit his stride within the postseason. Together with his two-run bomb in Sport 1, which gave the Yankees the lead within the sixth inning, six of the slugger’s 11 hits in the course of the playoffs have been house runs, giving him 17 with the Yankees, the fourth-most within the franchise’s historical past.
Per Stathead, he is the one participant in MLB historical past to go deep in 4 or extra consecutive video games of a postseason twice, having homered in 5 straight in the course of the 2020 playoffs.
Conversely, following a 0-for-5 outing on Friday, Decide is an underwhelming 6-for-35 on the plate with 16 strikeouts this postseason.
Historical past on the Dodgers’ aspect?
The significance of successful Sport 1 cannot be understated. However historical past particularly associated to the Dodgers and Yankees proves it is invaluable.
The earlier two conferences within the World Collection between the historic rivals in 1978 and 1981 noticed the winner of Sport 1 win the collection. In the meantime, that is solely the fifth time within the wild-card period that the groups with the most effective data within the Nationwide and American Leagues have met within the Fall Basic, with the winner of Sport 1 successful each collection up thus far.
