2024 World Series: Dodgers’ Freddie Freeman Delivers Walk-Off Grand Slam in Game 1 Victory
Freddie Freeman Smashes Walk-Off Grand Slam to Lift Dodgers Over Yankees in Game 1
Baseball had to wait 43 years for the Yankees and Dodgers to meet in the World Series, and the reintroduction into one of the most historic rivalries on this stage did not disappoint. Freddie Freeman, on one good leg just like Kirk Gibson in Game 1 of the 1988 Fall Classic, smashed a walk-off grand slam in the bottom of the 10th to lift the Dodgers to a 6-3 victory over the Yankees in Game 1 of the 2024 World Series on Friday night from Dodger Stadium.
Freeman’s Historic Home Run
Nursing a one-run lead and after New York reliever Jake Cousins put two men on in the 10th, Nestor Cortes got the imposing Shohei Ohtani to pop out for the second out of the inning, but after intentionally walking Mookie Betts, he served up a first-pitch 93 mph fastball low and inside that Freeman golfed over the right-field fence. It was the first-ever walk-off grand slam in World Series history and the 18th walk-off home run ever in a World Series game. This is the first walk-off round-tripper surrendered by the Yankees since Game 4 of the 2003 Fall Classic against Alex Gonzalez and the Florida Marlins in the 12th inning.
A Thrilling Game 1
The game was a pitcher’s duel between New York’s Gerrit Cole and Los Angeles’ Jack Flaherty, with both starters going six-plus innings. The majority of the game was a back-and-forth affair, with the Dodgers tying the game in the eighth on a sacrifice fly by Mookie Betts.
Giancarlo Stanton’s Big Moment
The Yankees took a 2-1 lead in the top of the sixth on a two-run, 412-foot blast by Giancarlo Stanton, giving the Yankees’ designated hitter his 17th career postseason home run in just 37 games. He has also hit a homer in four straight postseason games.
Recap of the Game
- The game featured a thrilling comeback by the Dodgers in the 10th inning, with Freddie Freeman’s walk-off grand slam ultimately deciding the game.
- The Yankees’ Gerrit Cole pitched six-plus innings, allowing just one run on four hits with four strikeouts and zero walks.
- The Dodgers’ Jack Flaherty rediscovered his form, pitching 5.1 innings, allowing five hits with six strikeouts and a walk.
- The game marked the first-ever walk-off grand slam in World Series history.
- The 18th walk-off home run in a World Series game was also a historic moment in the series.
FAQs
Q: Who hit the walk-off grand slam in Game 1 of the 2024 World Series?
A: Freddie Freeman of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Q: How many years did the Yankees and Dodgers have to wait for their next meeting in the World Series?
A: 43 years.
Q: What was the score in Game 1 of the 2024 World Series?
A: Los Angeles Dodgers 6, New York Yankees 3.
Q: How many home runs did Giancarlo Stanton hit in the 2024 World Series opener?
A: 1.
