Freddie Freeman hits walk-off grand slam as Dodgers take Game 1 from Yankees

In a year that has been so improbable, the impossible has happened...again!

Vin Scully's call from 1988 echoed at Dodger Stadium on Friday as history repeated itself with Los Angeles trailing by one run and down to its final out. That's when Freddie Freeman crushed a 10th-inning, walk-off grand slam in Game 1 of the World Series to give the Dodgers a 6-3 win over the New York Yankees. It was the first walk-off grand slam in World Series history.

IT'S GONE
IT'S GONE
IT'S GONE
IT'S GONE
FREDDIE FREEMAN #WALKOFF GRAND SLAM pic.twitter.com/LlVU1ZGyGx

— MLB (@MLB) October 26, 2024

After the Yankees took the lead in the top of the inning, Gavin Lux drew a one-out walk and Tommy Edman singled to put the tying and winning runs on for Shohei Ohtani. The Yankees brought in Nestor Cortes, who had not pitched in a major league league game since Sept. 18 due to a left flexor strain. Cortes got Ohtani to hit a pop up into foul territory down the left field line, where Alex Verdugo made a running catch and flipped into the stands for the second out of the inning.

Mookie Betts was then intentionally walked to load the bases and bring Freeman to the plate. Freeman crushed the first pitch he saw from Cortes into the right-field stands, giving the Dodgers a thrilling comeback win. Freeman raised his bat in the air as he walked down the first base line, the ball soaring down the same path as Kirk Gibson's iconic walk-off home run in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series that gave the Dodgers a 5-4 win over the Oakland Athletics and led to Scully's famous call.

Jazz Chisholm may have just stole Game 1 for the New York Yankees.

The speedy infielder, after hitting a one-out single in the top of the 10th inning, stole second and third base to put the go-ahead run 90 feet away. He came home on a fielder's choice by Anthony Volpe to give the Yankees a 3-2 lead.

Anthony Volpe COMES THROUGH 🤯 #WorldSeries pic.twitter.com/gy7ldokGh2

— MLB (@MLB) October 26, 2024

Free baseball in the Fall Classic!

Yankees reliever Luke Weaver worked a 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the ninth, thanks to a diving catch in left by Alex Verdugo on a shallow fly ball hit by Kiké Hernández. That sent Game 1 of the World Series to extra innings for the third consecutive season.

For the third consecutive time, Game 1 of the #WorldSeries has gone to extra innings.

— Michael J. Duarte (@michaeljduarte) October 26, 2024

Yankees fans thought they had another Jeffrey Maier.

Google him if you're too young to remember that controversial Derek Jeter home run in the 1996 American League Championship Series. This time, however, it wasn't a Yankees fan who was trying to help the team.

A Dodgers fan seated in the outfield reached over the fence and caught a fly ball hit by Gleyber Torres.

A fan reached over the fence on this hit by Gleyber Torres resulting in a fan interference call pic.twitter.com/67dm8hrhqm

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 26, 2024

What momentarily appeared to be a go-ahead home run in the ninth inning was instead ruled fan interference by the umpires. That put the go-ahead run on second base with two outs. Juan Soto was then intentionally walked, putting two on for Aaron Judge. Dodgers reliever Blake Treinen entered and got Judge to pop up to third and end the inning.

Shohei Ohtani has his first World Series hit.

The Dodgers star missed a game-tying home run by mere feet, with his drive hitting the wall in right-center for a double.

Shohei Ohtani's first career #WorldSeries hit goes for EXTRA BASES! pic.twitter.com/cGO1FoF5CW

— MLB (@MLB) October 26, 2024

Ohtani advanced to third when the throw got away from Anthony Volpe at short, putting the tying run at third with one out in the bottom of the eighth inning. He then scored the tying run on a sac fly by Mookie Betts as the Dodgers pulled even with the Yankees at 2-2.

Mookie Betts and WE ARE TIED 😤 #WorldSeries pic.twitter.com/LzAx5cme5U

— MLB (@MLB) October 26, 2024

The Dodgers' bullpen put another zero on the scoreboard.

Alex Vesia entered and quickly struck out Jazz Chisholm and Anthony Rizzo. He then got Anthony Volpe to fly out to center to end the inning.

The Dodgers head to the bottom of the inning trailing 2-1, with Tommy Edman and Shohei Ohtani due up.

It's up to the Yankees' bullpen from here.

Manager Aaron Boone elected to remove Gerrit Cole after he allowed a lead-off single to Teoscar Hernandez in the bottom of the seventh inning. Clay Holmes entered and hit Max Muncy with his third pitch to put runners on first and second. A bunt by Kiké Hernández advanced the runners, putting the tying run 90 feet away with one out.

Holmes then got Will Smith to pop out to short. Tommy Kahnle replaced Holmes to face Gavin Lux, who grounded out to second base to end the inning.

Cole tossed 88 pitches over six-plus innings, allowing one run on four hits.

In La La Land, there's never a shortage of star power when the Dodgers are playing big games.

Big names from the film, TV, music and sports worlds were in attendance for Game 1 against the Yankees, from Bryan Cranston to Lil Wayne and more.

See which celebrities were spotted in the Dodger Stadium stands here.

The Dodgers were in good hands with Brusdar Graterol.

The relief pitcher made a barehanded stop on a comebacker to the mound by Gleyber Torres for the first out of the top of the seventh inning.

One of the most casual outs you'll see in a World Series game 😅 pic.twitter.com/DPqhoF9oon

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 26, 2024

Graterol then got Juan Soto to pop out to short before allowing Aaron Judge, who struck out in his first three at-bats, to get his first World Series hit with a single up the middle.

Graterol then struck out Giancarlo Stanton, who had hit a go-ahead home run in the sixth, to end the inning.

Gerrit Cole has protected the Yankees' lead.

Tommy Edman led off the bottom of the sixth inning with a double down the right field line, putting the tying run in scoring position. Edman advanced to third on a slow bouncer up the middle by Shohei Ohtani, but he'd get no further after Mookie Betts hit a liner to Jazz Chisholm at third and Freddie Freeman followed with a fly out to right.

Cole has thrown 80 pitches through six innings, allowing three hits, walking none and striking out four.

The Yankees' lead could have been bigger if not for Tommy Edman.

The Dodgers shortstop made a diving stop on a grounder up the middle by Austin Wells with runners on first and second. Wells reached safely with the infield hit to load the bases, but Anthony Banda then struck out Alex Verdugo to end the threat and the inning.

The Yankees head to the bottom of the inning with a 2-1 lead after Giancarlo Stanton's go-ahead home run.

Giancarlo Stanton was aiming for the Hollywood sign.

The Yankees slugger hit a towering two-run home run to left field off Jack Flaherty to give the Yankees a 2-1 lead in the top of the sixth inning.

GIANCARLO STANTON
DOES IT AGAIN
FOUR STRAIGHT GAMES

ARE YOU KIDDING?! pic.twitter.com/sSVXe5QMW3

— MLB (@MLB) October 26, 2024

For Stanton, the ALCS MVP, the 412-foot blast is his fourth straight game with a home run. It also knocked Flaherty out of the game after allowing five hits and one walk with six strikeouts over 5.1 innings.

Stanton entered the game having hit .309 with 10 home runs in 25 career games at Dodger Stadium.

Kiké Hernández has ended Gerrit Cole's retired batters streak and shutout.

The Dodgers center fielder led off the bottom of the fifth inning with a triple to right field that Juan Soto was unable to cut off, giving Los Angeles their first baserunner since the first inning when Freddie Freeman tripled. Hernández then scored on a sac fly by Will Smith, just beating the throw of Soto from right, to give the Dodgers a 1-0 lead.

Will Smith gives the @Dodgers the first lead of the #WorldSeries pic.twitter.com/vmQeZMXsJY

— MLB (@MLB) October 26, 2024

The starting pitchers haven't needed much help in Game 1, but they got some in the fifth.

Max Muncy made a pretty scoop on a chopper that was hit to third base and made the throw to first to beat Gleyber Torres and end the top of the fifth inning.

Max Muncy makes it look easy 😮‍💨 #WorldSeries pic.twitter.com/xGQg630UY4

— MLB (@MLB) October 26, 2024

Jack Flaherty opened the inning by striking out Anthony Volpe on three pitches and fanning Austin Wells. Alex Verdugo followed with a two-out single, the Yankees' third hit of the game, before Muncy got the Dodgers out of the inning.

Pitchers Max Fried of the Atlanta Braves and Lucas Giolito of the Boston Red Sox are at Dodger Stadium to watch their high school teammate, Dodgers starter Jack Flaherty.

The three pitchers played together at the Harvard-Westlake School in Los Angeles.

Back in the 2021 World Series between the Braves and Astros, Flaherty and Giolito attended Game 6 in Houston where Fried helped Atlanta capture the championship.

Anthony Rizzo is doing his best Willie Mays impression in the World Series.

The Yankees first baseman made a running, over-the-shoulder catch on a pop-up to shallow right field off the bat of Mookie Betts for the first out of the fourth inning.

Ball: Caught
Cap: Off

Anthony Rizzo with a great catch! #WorldSeries pic.twitter.com/mXsQWD2J39

— MLB (@MLB) October 26, 2024

Gerrit Cole then got Freddie Freeman, the only baserunner to reach base so far for the Dodgers, to ground out to first -- after breaking bats on consecutive pitches. Teoscar Hernandez popped up to short to end the inning.

Cole has retired 10 straight for the Yankees to match zeros with Jack Flaherty through four.

Another quick inning for Jack Flaherty.

The Dodgers starter retired the Yankees in order in the top of the fourth inning, getting Giancarlo Stanton to fly out, Jazz Chisholm to ground out and Anthony Rizzo to line out.

Mookie Betts will lead off for the Dodgers in the bottom of the inning.

The stars are being shut out so far.

Shohei Ohtani, like Aaron Judge, is now 0-for-2 to start the World Series. Gerrit Cole struck out Ohtani on a curveball to end the third inning as the game remained scoreless. Cole has now retired seven straight.

Gavin Lux led off the inning with a fly out to right field and Tommy Edman then popped out to first.

Aaron Judge is still looking for his first contact of the World Series.

Jack Flaherty struck out the Yankees star for the second time of the game, this one ending the top of the third inning.

Gleyber Torres had reached on an infield single after beating the throw by Tommy Edman, who made a diving stop on a ball hit in the hole at short. Flaherty then got Juan Soto to ground into a double play and fanned Judge.

Gerrit Cole made quick work of the Dodgers in the second inning.

He got Max Muncy to pop out to third to start the inning and then fanned Kiké Hernández and Will Smith for his first strikeouts of the game.

The top of the order is due up for the Yankees.

Two innings down, two runners left in scoring position by the Yankees.

Anthony Rizzo's grounder up the middle deflected off Jack Flaherty, putting the lead-off man on first for the Yankees. Flaherty then struck out Anthony Volpe on a curveball. Austin Wells followed with a groundout to second that allowed Rizzo to advance to second.

Alex Verdugo then hit a grounder up the middle that shortstop Tommy Edman was in perfect position for to end the inning as the Yankees stranded another runner and the game remained scoreless.

The first pitch Shohei Ohtani saw in the World Series sure seemed headed for the seats.

But his long fly ball to straightaway center off Yankees ace Gerrit Cole fell just short of warning track, where fellow probable MVP Aaron Judge made the catch. Mookie Betts followed with another long fly ball that had warning track power, with left fielder Alex Verdugo making the catch against the wall.

Freddie Freeman then hit a liner down the left-field line for a triple after the ball got away from Verdugo. The Dodgers stranded Freeman at third as Teoscar Hernández lined out to shortstop to end the inning.

No score after the first.

Play ball! The 2024 Fall Classic is officially underway.

Dodgers starter Jack Flaherty escaped a jam without allowing the Yankees to get on the scoreboard.

Gleyber Torres lined out to third for the first out of the inning. After Juan Soto drew a four-pitch walk, Flaherty got Aaron Judge to chase a slider for the strikeout. Giancarlo Stanton, the ALCS MVP, then hit a grounder to NLCS MVP Tommy Edman, who was unable to field a short hop for an error that put two runners on. Flaherty escaped by getting Jazz Chisholm to ground out to second.

Shohei Ohtani will lead off for the Dodgers in the bottom of the inning.

Major League Baseball made an equipment change for the 2024 playoffs that wasn't exactly subtle.

The league placed ads for the company STRAUSS on the side of all batting helmets once the postseason began.

The helmet ads feature STRAUSS' logo and name, making it hard to miss for viewers at home.

So why was the change suddenly made?

Read the full story here.

Dodgers right-hander Jack Flaherty just delivered the first pitch of the 2024 World Series to Yankees second baseman Gleyber Torres for a ball.

Dodgers right-hander Jack Flaherty will take the mound first in the 2024 World Series. A trade deadline pickup for Los Angeles, Flaherty sported a 3.17 ERA across 28 total starts in the regular season.

This will be Flaherty's fourth start of the 2024 postseason, where he's given up a combined 12 runs on 15 hits, seven walks and eight strikeouts in 15.1 innings.

The Yankees, meanwhile, will give the ball to ace Gerrit Cole in Game 1. Cole posted a 3.41 ERA across 17 regular-season starts after returning midseason from an elbow injury.

In three starts this postseason, Cole has surrendered a total of seven runs (one unearned) on 19 hits, six walks and 12 strikeouts across 16.1 innings.

CNBC's Michael Ozanian explains why MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred should be "having a party" about the World Series matchup between the Yankees and Dodgers.

One player is already guaranteed a 2024 World Series ring. That would be Taylor Trammell, the only major leaguer who played for both the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees this season.

The 27-year-old outfielder appeared in just 10 games combined this season, five for the Dodgers and five for the Yankees. He opened the season in spring training with the Mariners before being designated for assignment. The Dodgers claimed him, and he made one start and six plate appearances for them in April, failing to record a hit.

He was then designated for assignment by the eventual National League champions and claimed by the eventual American League champions. In two plate appearances with the Yankees, he singled, walked and scored two runs.

Taylor Trammell: 2024 World Series champion pic.twitter.com/JxHOqTNzll

— RJ (Andujar RBW) (@AndujarRBW) October 21, 2024

Juan Soto, who's set to become the biggest MLB free agent after the World Series, shared a pregame chat with his agent Scott Boras.

NBC LA's Olivia Garvey and NBC New York's Bruce Beck preview the 2024 World Series between the Yankees and Dodgers.

The Yankees and Dodgers haven't met in a World Series since 1981. How has the United States changed from 43 years ago?

The Dodgers will honor the late Fernando Valenzuela, a franchise legend who died earlier this week at 63 years old, with a uniform patch during the World Series.

Valenzuela etched his name into MLB history by becoming the first and only player to win Rookie of the Year and Cy Young in the same year.

The Dodgers' patch with feature Valenzuela's name and his No. 34, which the team retired last season.

The Dodgers are selling a deep friend peanut butter and Nutella sandwich at World Series games. It features Texas toast, peanut butter, a hazelnut spread, bananas and strawberries dipped in funnel cake batter and deep fried, according to MLB.

What’s sweeter: this or a Word Series Game 1 win?

The New York Yankees are on a quest to defeat the Los Angeles Dodgers to win their 28th World Series, and former Yankees outfielder Johnny Damon believes his old club will have to use their lineup's depth in order to capture another championship.

Damon spoke with NBC New York's Linda Gaudino leading into the series.

You really don't want to pick one or the other, but you have to.

Both Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani and New York Yankees star slugger Aaron Judge put together monstrous regular-season campaigns in 2024.

But whose season was better?

Read the full article here.

Yankees pitchers will have to deal with Shohei Ohtani in the 2024 World Series.

But New York's hitters won't see the two-way superstar.

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts on Thursday shut down the possibility of Ohtani pitching against Aaron Judge and the Bronx Bombers in the Fall Classic.

“There is no possibility, none whatsoever,” Roberts told reporters. “Thank you for asking.”

Read the full story here.

The Yankees unveiled their 26-man roster for the 2024 World Series on Friday with one notable change.

Southpaw starter Nestor Cortes made the cut over infielder Jon Berti, who was on the ALCS roster when the Yankees defeated the Cleveland Guardians.

Cortes last pitched on Sept. 18 as he has been working his way back from a left elbow flexor strain. He was 9-10 with a 3.77 ERA in 31 appearances (30 starts) during the regular season.

The Dodgers announced their 26-man World Series roster on Friday ahead of Game 1.

The list features 13 pitchers -- three starters and 10 relievers -- along with 12 position players and designated hitter Shohei Ohtani.

As October cools the air and shortens the days, the fever pitch of baseball heats up. 

This year, the Fall Classic serves up an epic showdown between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Yankees — a World Series matchup that fans and pundits have dreamed of and dreaded in equal measure for decades. 

The two teams with the best records in baseball, two legendary franchises, both rich with history and controversy, will take the field to pursue the 2024 World Series title. But, in the court of public opinion, the country is divided. 

Read the full story here.

Los Angeles officials announced their plans to mitigate possibly heavy traffic Friday night as the city is scheduled to host the World Series and several other sporting events.

Mayor Karen Bass spoke at a news conference alongside leaders from the Los Angeles Police Department, LA Metro, the Los Angeles Department of Transportation and others Thursday morning. 

"LA is ready," Bass said, adding Friday is a practice run before the city hosts the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. "(The city is) ready to host the World Series, ready to welcome visitors from near and far and most importantly ready to win."

Read the full story here.