3 weeks ago
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The New York Yankees kept their World Series hopes alive, kick-started by Anthony Volpe's third-inning grand slam at Yankee Stadium, to record an 11-4 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers, who lead the best-of-seven series 3-1.
Despite avoiding a 4-0 sweep, the Yankees must make history if they are to deny the Dodgers as no team has recovered from 3-0 down to win a World Series.
That sweep looked on the cards in the first inning when, in a repeat scenario from game three, the in-form Freddie Freeman - who has homered in each game of this series - fired another two-run shot to right field.
The Yankees tried to hit straight back as Gleyber Torres lifted a fly ball down the right-field foul line. Mookie Betts took a clean catch in front of the wall but a Yankees supporter tried to prise the ball out of Betts' glove - and Torres was ruled out on fan interference.
After a raft of injuries to their starting rotation, the Dodgers opted for a "bullpen game",, external with the pitching workload shared by several relievers.
And it looked like the same old story early on for the Yankees, whose batters had previously struggled with runners in scoring positions.
In the second inning, they had men on second and third with only one out, yet only managed to manufacture one run, driven in by Alex Verdugo.
However, Volpe lit up the Bronx with his two-out grand slam over left centre field to give the hosts a 5-2 lead.
Back came the Dodgers as Will Smith's solo homer and another run batted in by Freeman reduced the deficit to 5-4, but Austin Wells extended the Yankees' lead with a home run in the sixth, and the floodgates opened in the eighth.
Volpe sprinted home on an infield hit before Torres launched a three-run homer, and even the struggling Aaron Judge drove in a run to ensure the sides will return to Yankee Stadium for game five on Wednesday evening.
A Yankees win there would extend the series to a sixth game back in Los Angeles on Friday.
Freeman's impact on the series has been phenomenal, given that there were doubts over whether he would be fit enough to make the World Series roster.
After suffering a sprained ankle in September, the 35-year-old has had intensive treatment, sometimes up to three hours a day, to stay in contention.
Manager Dave Roberts even left him out of three play-off games in a bid to manage the injury.
So when Freeman's grand slam won game one, it evoked memories of game one of the 1988 World Series when the Dodgers sent in a visibly limping Kirk Gibson to pinch-hit, and watched as he hit a walk-off homer and hobbled around the bases to great acclaim.
But that was only the beginning for Freeman, whose home runs in six successive World Series games (including his last two for the Atlanta Braves in 2021) have now surpassed the previous record of five held by ex-Houston Astros outfielder George Springer.
Game 1: Dodgers 6-3 Yankees
Game 2: Dodgers 4-2 Yankees
Game 3: Yankees 2-4 Dodgers
Game 4: Yankees 11-4 Dodgers
Game 5 (in New York): Wednesday, 30 October
Game 6* (in LA): Friday, 1 November
Game 7* (in LA): Saturday, 2 November
*If required. Matches start 20:08 Eastern Time (early next morning UK time). Home team listed first.
