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.
