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World Series score: Yankees avoid sweep vs. Dodgers as Anthony Volpe's Game 4 grand slam keeps New York alive

NEW YORK -- The New York Yankees have lived to play another day. Thanks to Anthony Volpe's grand slam, the Yankees beat the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 4 of the World Series on Tuesday night (NY 11, LA 4), forcing a Game 5. The Dodgers still lead the series 3-1, but the Yankees have a pulse, and they'll send Gerrit Cole to the mound on Wednesday.

Perhaps the most memorable part of Game 4 was two Yankees fans quite literally ripping a baseball from Mookie Betts' glove along the side wall in right field. Mookie reached over the wall to make the catch and the two fans basically mugged him. The were ejected from the stadium. Mookie is OK, fortunately. An unfortunate moment in an otherwise exciting game.

Here now are three takeaways from Game 4 of the World Series, plus a quick look ahead to Game 5.

1. Freeman did it again

For the first time in baseball history, a player has hit a home run in each of the first four games of the World Series. Freddie Freeman did it again in Game 4, sending a two-run home run to right field in the first inning Tuesday night. It was his fifth extra-base hit of the series after having precisely zero in the NLDS and NLCS.

Dating back to 2021 with the Braves, Freeman now has a six-game home run streak in the World Series, the longest in baseball history. He broke a tie with George Springer (2017-19).

And because that wasn't enough, Freeman beat out a double play ball in the top of the fifth inning, allowing a run to score. The fielder's choice cut New York's lead to 5-4 and was Freeman's 10th RBI of the World Series. He is one behind Tommy Edman (2024 NLCS) and Corey Seager (2020 NLCS) for the franchise RBI record in a single postseason series.

2. The Yankees got their big swing

Through three games, the story of the World Series was slugging. Both teams were hitting under .200 with runners in scoring position, but the Dodgers had five home runs and 11 extra-base hits in Games 1-3. The Yankees had three homers and five extra-base hits. Freeman had almost extra-base hits as the Yankees by himself.

In the third inning Tuesday, the Yankees finally got the big swing they've been missing. Anthony Volpe turned a 2-1 deficit into a 5-2 lead with a first pitch grand slam off Daniel Hudson. To the action footage:

Hudson made a mess of that inning. He hit Aaron Judge with a pitch, gave up a Jazz Chisholm Jr. single off the wall, and walked Giancarlo Stanton to load the bases. Volpe then made him pay with the grand slam.

Volpe's homer was the first postseason grand slam for the Yankees since Tino Martinez's blast against Mark Langston in Game 1 of the 1998 World Series. It was also Volpe's first career postseason homer. The grand slam gave the Yankees their first lead in the series since the 10th inning of Game 1.

3. Weaver and the bullpen stood tall

Luis Gil very well might get Rookie of the Year votes this season, but he is far above his previous career high in innings, and it has shown late in the season. He's struggled the last few times out and the Dodgers got to him for four runs in four innings in Game 4. Gil struck out only one of the 18 batters he faced, or 6%. His regular-season strikeout rate was 27%, an excellent number.

Gil exited with a runner on first and no outs in the fifth inning. From there, five Yankees relievers slammed the door, combining to allow one hit and one walk in five scoreless innings. They struck out seven. Those five relievers: Tim Hill, Clay Holmes, Mark Leiter Jr., Luke Weaver, and Tim Mayza. Weaver got the biggest outs, cutting through 2-3-4-5 hitters with three strikeouts.

It has flown under the radar because the Yankees fell behind in the series 3-0, but their bullpen has been great the last three games. From Games 2-4, New York's bullpen has allowed just one run in 15 ⅓ innings. They gave the offense a chance to get back into Games 2 and 3, and they shut the door on a win-or-go-home Game 4.

In the ninth inning, the offense broke the game open, and potted five runs to make a stressful two-run lead a comfortable seven-run advantage. That allowed the Yankees to remove Weaver after 21 pitches and save him for Game 5. It also allowed the Yankees to feel a little bit better about things, and wake up at the plate.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts did not show much urgency in Game 4 (he did the same in Game 5 of the NLDS), using strictly lower-leverage relievers even while his offense chipped away. That saves his best relievers for Game 5, yet another potential clincher. It also means he gave the Yankees the slightest bit of life.

4. Up next

Game 5. The Yankees still face very long odds, but they have a pulse. Historically, teams with a 3-1 lead in a best-of-seven have gone on the win the series 85% of the time. The Yankees will send ace Gerrit Cole to the mound Wednesday as they try to force the series back to Los Angeles. Jack Flaherty will start for the Dodgers in the Game 1 starting pitching rematch.

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Live updates
 

Stanton got hit by a pitch on the hand, but he also took a half swing, so it's a strike. Ouch, literally and figuratively.

 

The Dodgers now have Landon Knack up in the bullpen. I assumed Brent Honeywell would be the long guy but it appears Knack might be. 

 

Judge is on base for the second time. He has been walked and now hit by a pitch. At least he's getting on.

 

It would behoove the Yankees to score here. It's Soto/Judge/Jazz/Giancarlo against Daniel Hudson, who is good but not overpowering. The high-leverage guys are probably in next time the order gets here.

 

Daniel Hudson is the second Dodgers pitcher of the night.

 

Freddie Freeman made an out. 

 

2-1 Dodgers in the third

The first few innings have been ... eventful.

 

Volpe scored soon after, but this is an egregious mistake on the bases. 

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Yankees get one on a groundout but that's it. It is 2-1 Dodgers through two.

 

Yankees in business?

Austin Wells doubled to center, but Anthony Volpe only got from second to third while hanging for the fly ball result. He probabaly should've been sent home to score, but here we are. Two on, one out.

 

34 pitches and 15 strikes for Mr. Casparius.

 

The natives are getting restless.

 

An unorthodox 3-6 double play to end the second inning. Line out to Rizzo at first, who doubled the runner off second.

 
 

After one inning, the Dodgers have a 64.7% chance of winning Game 4 and completing the sweep. 

 

The Dodgers got a big home run in the first. The Yankees left two men on base. Rinse, repeat. 

 

Runners on second and third for Giancarlo Stanton. Two outs. Buckle up.

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Judge walks

Aaron Judge drew a walk in his final plate appearances last night. It was his first unintentional walk since Game 1 of the ALCS. That is decidedly not Aaron Judge. When he slumps during the regular season, he still walks. Judge just walked in his first plate appearance of Game 4. The Yankees have two on with one out. Chisholm, not Stanton is up.

 

Fan interference

Rarely will you see a more egregious example than this one: 

 

They called Torres out (because Mookie made the catch). I assume that fan is being ejected and banned from the stadium.

 

Hoo boy. Mookie just ventured into foul territory to catch a ball over the wall, and a fan literally ripped the ball from his glove.

 

Freeman is now batting .385/.429/1.462 in this World Series.

 

Freddie Freeman makes history, homers again

Freddie Freeman has now homered in six consecutive World Series games and all four World Series games this year. He is the first player to ever do so. 

That one was "only" 343 feet, but it was a rocket of a line drive, topping 106 miles per hour. Freeman now has 14 career playoff home runs, including the six we already mentioned that came in various World Series. As a reminder, before this series, he hadn't homered since Sept. 16. He hadn't even recorded an extra-base hit since Sept. 26. He had gone 1 for his last 15. Just a ridiculous turn. 

 

Uh oh, Dodgers rallying again?

Mookie Betts doubles down the first-base line and here comes Freddie Freeman.

 

The Yankees fans in the bleachers just looped "De-rek Je-ter" into their roll call.

 

Ohtani pops out. It did have a lot of height on it. I honestly felt like his swings looked a little better than yesterday.

 

Hey, the game has started.

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Ohtani fouls back the first pitch of Game 4. We're underway.

 

I think the Yankees win tonight and lose tomorrow. A gentleman's sweep.

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