Freddie Freeman, the man who has had a year full of adversity, hit a home run with the bases loaded after the Yankees decided to intentionally walk Mookie Betts in the tenth inning, to give the Dodgers a memorable 6-3 victory over New York at the start of the World Series Friday night in Los Angeles.
Gavin Lux and Tommy Edman had reached base and Yankees manager Aaron Boone brought in left-handed pitcher Néstor Cortés, who popped out Shohei Ohtani. But then he intentionally walked Betts to load the bases in a decision that will be widely discussed. Freeman has been playing with an ankle injury.
The first World Series between the Dodgers and Yankees since 1981 and the 12th. in history it was preceded by strong emotions on the field and in the stands due to the death this week of Fernando Valenzuelaone of the great Dodgers of all time.
Valenzuela was instrumental in the Dodgers beating the Yankees in an epic Fall Classic 43 years ago. His death has caused great consternation in Southern California, Mexico and around the world of baseball.
Sonoran music and minute of silence in memory of “Toro” Valenzuela
The honors for Valenzuela began 40 minutes before the game, when Gina Ferrer and Julio Torres, singers originally from the state of Sonora – where Valenzuela was born -, performed four musical songs, including the classics “Amor Eterno” and “El Rey” with mariachi. They also dedicated a corrido that talked about Fernando and the Dodgers.
After the presentation of Yankees and Dodgers players, came a second part of honors for Valenzuela. His widow, Linda, and some of his children were solemnly presented on the field while a minute of silence was requested in the stadium in memory of the greatest Mexican baseball player and the greatest Latin sports legend in Los Angeles.
The most emotional part occurred when in the pavilions of the stadium they began to chant “To-ro!, To-ro!, To-ro!”, a cry from the heart from the Los Angeles fans.
Pitching duel between Angeleno arms before a bombshell
Jack Flaherty, acquired by the Dodgers as a reinforcement during the season, was the starting pitcher for the home team and The right-hander from the San Fernando Valley arrived at the stadium wearing a Valenzuela jacket.
On such a special occasion, Flaherty was going to need an inspired night and he actually pitched well, leaving the Yankees without a run for five innings in a great serpentine duel with Gerrit Cole, another pitcher originally from Southern California.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, the Dodgers took the lead. Enrique Hernández tripled to the right field corner after one out and scored on a hit-and-run on Wil Smith’s sacrifice fly to the right. The Puerto Rican arrived calmly, diving with his head to make it 1-0.
However, the advantage did not last long for the National League champions because in the sixth inning Juan Soto led off with a single and after striking out Aaron Judge, came the powerful Giancarlo Stanton, another player originally from Los Angeles, to shoot a 412-foot bomb near the left field corner post for a two-run homer to lead New York, 2-1.
The Dodgers put men on second and third with one out in the seventh, but Will Smith was dominated by reliever Clay Holmes on a fly ball to the infield and Gavin Lux hit a weak grounder to second against Tommy Kahnle.
Ohtani wakes up and the Dodgers tie the game
Down 2-1 in the eighth inning, the Dodgers attacked and it had to be their biggest star, Shohei Ohtani. The Japanese was 0 for 3 in the game, but with one out on the board he hit a tremendous line drive against reliever Tommy Kahnle that bounced off the right field wall. He only needed one meter to go to the other side.
Ohtani swept at second with a double, but the throw from the outfield escaped shortstop Anthony Volpe and Ohtani reached third base to bring nearly all of the 52,394 ticket-paying spectators who filled Dodger Stadium to their feet.
Immediately, Mookie Betts hit a deep fly to center to easily drive in Ohtani at 2-2.
In the opening of the ninth inning, Gleyber Torres hit a drive to deep left field that initially looked like a home run against reliever Michael Kopech. The ball was caught by a fan who extended his gloved arm. After immediate review, it was determined that there was fan interference and Torres was sent to second base.
Juan Soto was intentionally walked and then manager Dave Roberts brought in his best man in the bullpen, right-hander Blake Treinen, who dominated Aaron Judge on a high fly to shortstop.
Anthony Volpe’s grounder to shortstop for a busy ball drove Jazz Chisholm from third in the top of the tenth inning, when The Yankees used speed on the bases to hurt star reliever Blake Treinen and take a 3-2 lead.. Chisholm had singled with one out and stolen second and third. In total there were three stolen bases against Treinen in the inning.
And from there to the exciting end of a game that is a preview of a great World Series. Game 2 will be this Saturday (5:08 pm PT) and the probable pitchers are Carlos Rodón for New York and the Japanese Yoshinobu Yamamoto for Los Angeles.
News in development.