New York Yankees v Los Angeles Dodgers: World Series Game 1 – live

Yankees 0-0 Dodgers, bottom fourth

Cole breaks Freeman’s bat, twice in two pitches. It’s a ground ball to first that Rizzo will take himself for the second out. Cole has thrown just 45 pitches thus far, super economical.

Yankees 0-0 Dodgers, bottom fourth

It’s Cole v Betts to start the bottom of the fourth, and the Yankees hurler gets ahead 0-2. Betts evens the count at two before Betts hits a ball to no mans land to shallow right field – it’s the first baseman Rizzo who is chasing and he makes a fantastic over the shoulder catch! He robbed Betts of a bloop hit! One down!

Here’s Freeman, who had a triple in his first at-bat.

Yankees 0-0 Dodgers, top fourth

Nasty knuckle curve ball to Rizzo for a swinging strike two before the Yanks first baseman pokes a ball to shallow left field. It’s easy for Teoscar Hernandez who makes an easy catch to retire the side. It’s Flaherty’s first 1-2-3 inning of the night, which has taken just 60 pitches.

Yankees 0-0 Dodgers, top fourth

Moving right along, Stanton flies out to right, Chisholm bounces to second, and two quick outs for Flaherty, who has now navigated through the beef of the Yankees lineup twice and lives to tell the tale!

Yankees 0-0 Dodgers, bottom 3rd

Just looking at Ohtani, it’s hard to imagine anyone getting him out. The count is 2-2, with Ohtani just missing a fastball, fouling it back. Now Cole shows Ohtani Uncle Charlie and the slugger swings and misses! It’s Cole’s third strikeout, and like Flaherty, has been superb.

It seems we have a duel of the pitchers.

Yankees 0-0 Dodgers, bottom 3rd

Dodger manager Dave Roberts, speaking to FOX TV in the US thinks Flaherty’s “spin is good and the fastball is playing up” – he’s happy with his hurler and why not, he’s been tremendous.

Meanwhile, bottom of the Dodger lineup is heading to the plate, starting with Lux, who lines out to right.

Now Edman is up and promptly pops into foul territory on the right side of the infield. Rizzo is in to make the catch, and so it’s two down for Ohtani, which is good news for Cole and the Yankees, because nobody is on base.

Yankees 0-0 Dodgers, top 3rd

Judge struck out last at-bat and now he’s behind 0-2 to Flaherty. Judge fouls off a pitch, looks at a ball in the dirt, and that waves at a curve ball low. Swing and a miss! So 52 pitches from Flaherty has him unscathed through three innings with three k’s to boot. You can’t ask for anything more from Flaherty, who was beaten up badly by the Mets in his last start.

Yankees 0-0 Dodgers, top 3rd

It’s 2-2 and Flaherty throws a curve ball in the dirt to even the count. The payoff pitch is hit up the middle – Edman is behind the second base bag, scoops it up, runs to second to get one out, then fires over to first, in time to get Soto! Double play!

So now Judge is up with nobody on, which is what Dodgers fans want exactly.

Yankees 0-0 Dodgers, top 3rd

Flaherty sees the Yankee lineup for the second time now and Torres strikes a pitch to the hole in short – I mean super deep! Edman dives, has it, and nearly nails the Yankees second baseman. What a play!

Third straight inning the Yanks have the leadoff runner on. Can they get him around? Here’s Soto to give it a whirl.

Yankees 0-0 Dodgers, bottom 2nd

As we were saying, Cole is throwing darts: his sixth pitch to Smith is too much for the backstop. Two strikeouts for Cole as we head to the third inning, scoreless.

Yankees 0-0 Dodgers, bottom 2nd

Cole chucks high cheese at Hernandez who just waves. Strike three! For sure, Cole has it so far tonight, which we can’t always say. Two out. Catcher Will Smith is at the plate.

Yankees 0-0 Dodgers, bottom 2nd

Cole is back on the hill as we resume, facing Max Muncy. He pops up into foul ground on the third base side: Chisholm is running hard and m,akes the catch for out number one.

Playoff animal Kike Hernandez is next.

Yankees 0-0 Dodgers, top 2nd

A Yankee lead? Nope. Verdugo bounces to second and it’s easy for Lux who has it and throws to first base for the out. Side retired.

Yankees 0-0 Dodgers, top 2nd

Wells hits a ball in the hole closer to first base. Lux runs to his right, chases it down and throws in time to the bag for the second out. Rizzo advances to second on the play. That means Alex Verdugo could potentially give New York a lead with a knock here.

Yankees 0-0 Dodgers, top 2nd

Flaherty is ahead on Volpe 1-2 before dealing a fastball away that just misses. Even 2-2 count now and Flaherty throws a curveball that Volpe can only whiff at – strike three! One down for LA here in the second.

Austin Wells, a light-hitting catcher heads to the dish.

Yankees 0-0 Dodgers, top 2nd

So now we get into the less scary part of the Yankees lineup: Anthony Rizzo is leading off.

Except Rizzo hits it back to and off Jack Flaherty, nailing the bottom of his ankle, and there’s no play. So for the second straight inning New York has the lead runner on. Here’s the 23-uyear-old shortstop, Anthony Volpe.

The reader says…

I don’t know who Karloff is, but could he hit a triple on one leg?

Yankees 0-0 Dodgers, bottom 1st

Hernandez hits a liner to short and Anthony Volpe handles it for the third out, ending the inning for Cole and the Yankees. So Freeman is left standing at third base and we’re scoreless through one.

Yankees 0-0 Dodgers, bottom 1st

Now Mookie Betta is at the plate and he hits another deep fly ball, this one is to left field! And Dodger Stadium holds it in again – Alex Verdugo makes the catch for a second loud out!

Freddie Freeman is next, and he strikes a shot to left! It takes an odd bounce off the side wall, Verdugo has to chase it! Hobbling Freeman, who hasn’t had an extra base hit is testing that ankle, running past second base and into third! Wow! His ankle passes the test, for now. Can Teoscar Hernandez drive him home?

Yankees 0-0 Dodgers, bottom 1st

So here’s Ohtani to face Gerrit Cole, who for a time v New York in the NLCS struggled with nobody on base. First pitch, and it’s a high fly ball, deep to center field! Aaron Judge is on the warning track, has room and makes the catch! Ohtani nearly sent Cole fastball over the fence, but it’s just a loud out.

Yankees 0-0 Dodgers, top 1st

Chisholm bounces to second, Gavin Lux has it, fires to first for the out, and that’s the inning. So New York leave two on and here comes Shohei Ohtani and the Dodgers in their half of the opening inning.

Yankees 0-0 Dodgers, top 1st

Flaherty falls behind Stanton, 3-1 before the slugger let’s a close strike go by. On a full count, Stanton hits a grounder to short that Edman bobbles! No throw to first, and now it’s two runners on and two outs for Jazz Chisholm. LA had a bit of the bobblies v the Mets, and they really can’t afford such haphazard defense.

Yankees 0-0 Dodgers, top 1st

A pinpoint fastball and a tight slider has Flaherty up 0-2 v Judge. The next pitch is a breaking ball in the dirt, ball one. Now it’s a slider and Judge is ahead of it, swinging and missing – strike three! Judge continues to struggle in the postseason. Giancarlo Stanton, up next, has been the opposite, winning the ALCS MVP.

Yankees 0-0 Dodgers, top 1st

Flaherty walks Soto on four pitches, which is not desirable considering Aaron Judge is walking into the batters box.

Yankees 0-0 Dodgers, top 1st

Torres hits a ball on the screws to third base, but it’s right into the glove of Max Muncy. One outfor Jack Flaherty, who now faces a stiffer test, Juan Soto.

First pitch!

National Anthem

Country music star and Dodgers superfan is signing the national anthem while strumming his electric guitar. It’s a bit slow and low energy. I’m not really into it this at all. I’m giving it a 6.5/10, and that’s wildly low for me. This is what it sounded like when Mr Paisley performed at the 2017 World Series.

First pitch is coming soon. Please stand by!

First pitch

Steve Yeager, a catcher who played on the 1981 Dodger champions, and Orel Hershiser who pitched for the 1988 Dodger title winners are out to throw the ceremonial first pitches. But to honor the passing of the legendary, trailblazing Mexican hurler Fernando Valenzuela, who died this week, the ball was not thrown, but placed next to his no34 etched on the mound.

Lineups

The players are being introduced at Dodger Stadium. Hard to hear who is getting the loudest boos and cheers over the music, which used to be fun. Oh well. Here’s the starting lineups, which for LA include former MVP Freddie Freeman playing first base. Freeman takes over four hours to get game ready. He’s so hobbled, he’s yet to register an extra base hit during these playoffs, very un-Freeman to say the least!

The rosters

The 26-man rosters featured some changes to both teams. Infielder John Berti was left off the Yankees roster after getting some time at first base this postseason. In his place is Nestor Cortes, an all-star staring pitcher who has been sidelined since September 25th with a elbow injury thought to be season ending. Should it go wrong for the 29-year-old, he could find himself sidelined next season, but he’s “all in for the chip.” Cortes will be a valuable lefty in the bullpen, having gone through rehab and passed a fitness test of a 29-pitch simulated game. New York will have 13 pitchers and 13 position players on their roster.

LA also have the 13-13 split. they’ve lost a reliable bullpen arm in Evan Phillips, a righty that may have been used v Aaron Judge in late-inning play. Instead the Dodgers added another right handed reliever, Brusdar Graterol, and lefty fireman Alex Vesia. Kevin Kiermaier will sit.

Yesterday and today

There’s been piles of pixels dedicated to the Fall Classic history between these two teams, the first one to take place without iconic baseball broadcaster, Vin Scully, who retired in 2016 after 67 seasons as the voice of the Dodgers. This is what the intro to Game 1 back in 1963 when the two teams played their first series since the Dodgers moved from Brooklyn to LA following the 1957 season.

The Umps

As you can imagine, with the World Series being MLB’s crown jewel event, the league has made sure only the highest ranked umpires would be making the calls. Except, according to Umpire Auditor on “X”, this is not the case at all. Quite the contrary!

Well you know what they say: you can’t argue with logic!

Hello!

David will be here shortly. In the meantime here’s a look at the Guardian’s predictions for this year’s Fall Classic.