The journey has just begun
Word Series Game 1: The Dodgers scored a thrilling victory.
When Fernando Valenzuela's former teammate Orel Hershiser placed the first-pitch ball at No. 34 in his honor before the impressive crowd of fans at Dodger Stadium, who could have imagined the end of Game 1 of the 2024 World Series this Friday night?
After 43 years, the Dodgers and Yankees were facing off again in a Fall Classic. We know everything this World Series meant in the past, and what it could mean in the present for the 13th time. Greatness, might be an apt word to describe everything that is yet to be seen when two of the most powerful teams in the game face off. But what we never know for sure is how each game will end and who will ultimately get a World Series ring.
No one knew anything until the bottom of the 10th inning with two outs, when Cuban left-hander Néstor Cortés threw the 307th pitch of the night. And, as quick as a laser beam, the skilled hands of veteran Freddie Freeman detonated a walk-off grand slam that disappeared into the darkness of the night over the right field of Dodger Stadium. The reaction of the Dodgers fans was electrifying. From the moment Freeman's swing cracked the first pitch, a 93 mph fastball from Cortes that perished in the attempt to cross the plate, we all knew that Game 1 of the 2024 World Series was over.
Dodgers 6, Yankees 3. A thunderous turn to the scoreboard when the Yankees were one out from a 3-2 victory in the bottom of the 10th inning.
“I haven't really—it felt like nothing, just kind of floating.” Freeman said of his walkoff grand slam to lift the Dodgers to victory in Game 1 of the World Series. “Those are the kind of things, when you're 5 years old with your two older brothers and you're playing wiffle ball in the backyard, those are the scenarios you dream about, two outs, bases loaded in a World Series game.”
So, the duel that began with a tight right-handed dominance between Jake Flaherty vs Gerrit Cole, ended with a walkoff grand slam that left the Yankees on the field with the last pitcher they added to the World Series roster. It was an unprecedented walkoff grand slam in postseason history, after an intentional walk to face the only Dodgers starting hitter who had not recorded multiple RBIs in 33 plate appearances during October.
Who could have written a better script for the Dodgers in their return to the World Series since 2020? The success unleashed more than one mixed feeling. Victory in Game 1, on a special night paying tribute to the legendary Fernando Valenzuela at Dodger Stadium. A walk-off homer a la Kirk Gibson, who pinch-hit the plate and, while barely able to walk, left the Oakland Athletics on the field in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series. Freeman is also playing through pain since spraining his ankle in late September.*
*Along with Freeman's glorious grand slam, we can't forget two key plays by shortstop Tommy Edman, especially the grounder Austin Wells hit in the bottom of the sixth with runners on first and second. Had Edman not caught Wells' 103 mph grounder, the Yankees would have scored at least one run. The other credit goes to Anthony Banda, who then got a key out when he struck out Alex Verdugo with the bases loaded.
Freeman hit the first and last hits of the game on a night where the Dodgers didn't get two hits in an inning until the bottom of the 10th. Freeman started his unforgettable Friday night with a triple down the left field line in the bottom of the first inning. His run to third with two outs was an effort as admirable as it was surprising. Freeman was then thrown out on his next three plate appearances. He went 1-for-3 against Gerrit Cole*, who caused Freeman to shatter two of his bats.
*Cole had a great night, mixing it up. He threw his four-seam fastball on 50 percent of his 88 pitches. He felt good. He touched 99 mph. The rest of his mix was split between cutters and knuckle curves. He featured his changeup only in special situations, as did his slider, which induced two swings and misses on just three pitches.
But Freeman's ninth-inning opportunity wouldn't have come if not for an intentional walk to Mookie Betts with runners on third and second. The Yankees needed just one out to win the game. If you've been reading my columns for a while, you know I'm a public enemy of intentional walks. But the Yankees had two options in that situation: 1) walk Betts to bank on a lefty-vs-lefty matchup between Cortes and Freeman or; 2) let Cortes face Betts with first base unoccupied.
Obviously, the bases loaded added pressure on Cortes, but it also offered the possibility of a third force out. By the way, Betts had gone 0-for-5 against Cortes in his career. Freeman? In three matchups, he was 1-for-3 with a double and a grounder into a double play.
I think Yankees manager Aaron Boone got into trouble once he brought in Cortes, who has been sidelined this postseason. Whoever the reliever was, Boone knew he had to face at least three batters. So when Boone replaced right-hander Jake Cousins, it was clear he preferred to bank on Cortes' experience for that key situation.
Cortes' first matchup was against Shohei Ohtani with runners on first and second. Ohtani had gone 2-for-11 in his career against Cortes and didn't wait long: He swung at the first pitch, looking for a 92 mph fastball down the middle of the strike zone. Ohtani's swing didn't come in time, at least not enough to pull the pitch. He hit a fly ball into foul territory in left field, and Alex Verdugo made his second defensive gem of the night. Verdugo dove into the seats and ended up catching Ohtani's fly ball between the Dodgers fans.