Well, that was a very entertaining and thrilling Game 1 of the World Series, wasn’t it? That game had everything: great starting pitching, tense at-bats, fantastic defense, and even a Los Angeles Dodgers fan pulling a reverse Jeffrey Maier. However, the night belonged to Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman. He became a postseason legend, hitting a walk-off grand slam with two outs in the bottom of the tenth against New York Yankees left-handed reliever Nestor Cortes. The Dodgers won 6-3 and are now up 1-0 in the World Series.
Here are eight takeaways following a wild ride in Game 1.
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Freddie Freeman becomes Kirk Gibson
It will go down as one of the greatest World Series moments of all-time. With two outs in the bottom of the tenth and the bases loaded, a hobbled Freddie Freeman was facing Yankees lefty Nestor Cortes, who hasn’t pitched in more than a month due to a flexor strain. The Dodgers were down 3-2 and needed Freeman to come through to keep the game alive. He did more than that — he hit a moonshot of a grand slam to walk it off, 6-3.
That walk-off comes 36 years after Kirk Gibson’s famous game-winning home run against Oakland Athletics Hall of Fame closer Dennis Eckersley in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series.
Click here to watch Freeman’s walk-off grand slam.
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Los Angeles Dodgers starter Jack Flaherty was rolling… until one pitch
This was the pitcher the Dodgers were hoping was going to show up. Jack Flaherty was cruising through the first five innings, but things changed in the sixth. After allowing a leadoff single to Juan Soto, and striking out Aaron Judge, Flaherty had an 0-2 count on Giancarlo Stanton, when he left a knuckle-curveball on the inner-half of the plate, which Stanton demolished for a two-run bomb.
The Dodgers were concerned about Flaherty as he was nailed for eight earned runs on eight hits in Game 5 of the NLCS against the New York Mets. Flaherty pitched well overall, going 5 1/3 innings, giving up two runs on five hits, while striking out six. The Dodgers will take that for the rest of the World Series.
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Ace Gerrit Cole arrived for the New York Yankees
Heading into Game 1 of the World Series, it’s been an up-and-down postseason for Yankees ace Gerrit Cole. Across three starts in the ALDS and ALCS, Cole pitched 16 1/3 innings, giving up six earned runs on 19 hits and six walks, striking out 12. But, No. 1 starter Cole showed up in Game 1. He went six innings, giving up one run on four hits, and struck out four. More importantly, he didn’t allow a walk. Cole could pitch two more times in the World Series, and if he throws like this, the Yanks will be celebrating the franchise’s 28th championship.
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani has eventful first World Series game
The biggest baseball star on the planet finally made his long-awaited World Series debut, and he didn’t disappoint. In the bottom of the eighth, Ohtani came oh-so-close to hitting a home run, but settled for a double. He ended up scoring the game-tying run on Mookie Betts’ sacrifice fly to make it 2-2.
In the bottom of the 10th, Ohtani was up with one out and runners on first and second. He lifted a foul ball to left that outfielder Alex Verdugo made an amazing play on, flipping over the railing to make the catch. Ohtani went 1-for-5 on the night.
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Los Angeles Dodgers bullpen did its job
The Dodgers bullpen was able to hold its own in Game 1 of the World Series. Five relievers combined to give up one run on five hits and three walks, across 4 2/3 innings. Only one reliever didn’t allow a baserunner in Alex Vesia, but it was enough. The Yankees pulled ahead in the top of the tenth off Blake Treinen, thanks to stealing three bases off him. However, because of Freeman’s heroics, it was all the bullpen needed to do.
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What was New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone thinking in the 10th?
New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone is going to have a very restless night after his bullpen moves in Game 1 of the World Series didn’t pan out. In the bottom of the tenth, Boone sent out righty reliever Jake Cousins to close the door as he was facing the bottom of the Dodgers’ order. He got Will Smith to quickly fly out, but it unraveled from there. He walked Gavin Lux and Tommy Edman reached on an infield single.
Boone then brought in lefty Nestor Cortes, who hasn’t pitched in over a month due to a flexor strain injury. Cortes got Shohei Ohtani to foul out on an amazing defensive play by Alex Verdugo. With two outs, the Yanks decided to intentionally walk Mookie Betts to load the bases. Boone was looking for the lefty-on-lefty matchup against Freddie Freeman. However, that plan failed spectacularly, as Freeman blasted the first pitch for a walk-off grand slam. Boone will now be second-guessed as the Yanks are down one game in the World Series.
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