Freeman powers LA Dodgers over punchless Yankees to brink of World Series sweep

The Los Angeles Dodgers are one win from a surprising World Series sweep of the New York Yankees – and a second title in five years – after Freddie Freeman’s historic power streak continued to reduce a hotly anticipated showdown featuring baseball’s two most storied franchises to one-way traffic.

The Dodgers first baseman tied George Springer’s all-time record of homering in five straight World Series games in Monday night’s Game 3 with a two-run drive into the right-field stands in the first inning, kick-starting a 4-2 victory that opened a commanding three-games-to-none lead in the best-of-seven tie.

“When you come into a road park, you want to try to strike early and quiet the crowd, and we were able to do that in the first inning,” Freeman said.

The crackling atmosphere inside Yankee Stadium as it hosted a World Series game for the first time in 15 years climbed to ear-splitting volumes after a ceremonial first pitch thrown by club legend Derek Jeter and a pre-game performance by Bronx rapper Fat Joe – but the in-form Freeman wasted almost no time bringing the Bronx Zoo to heel with one swing of the bat.

After Shohei Ohtani, playing two days after partially separating his left shoulder, walked on four pitches to lead off the game followed by a Mookie Betts fly-out, Freeman drove a 1-2 cutter about five rows deep into the lower deck in right field.

The Dodgers tacked on runs in the third and sixth innings as Walker Buehler and six relievers combined on a five-hitter for the Dodgers. With the Yankees down to their final strike in the bottom of the ninth, left fielder Alex Verdugo hit a two-run homer off Dodgers reliever Ryan Brasier that cut the deficit in half and turned the lineup over. But Braiser coaxed Gleyber Torres into a groundout to short for the final out.

Three days after hitting the first walk-off grand slam in Fall Classic history, the 35-year-old Freeman became the third player to homer in the first three games of a World Series after Hank Bauer in 1958 and Barry Bonds in 2002. His streak of five straight World Series games with a home run dates back to Atlanta’s last two games against Houston in the 2021 World Series.

Since Freeman’s Game 1 blast, the Yankees’ potent, and expensive offense has been held to four runs and nine hits over two games.

The Dodgers can clinch the club’s eighth World Series championship on Tuesday night in the Bronx. Down to three healthy starters, Los Angeles are expected to pitch their fourth bullpen game of these playoffs, while rookie right-hander Luis Gil will take the hill for the Yankees.