Freeman’s latest HR ties World Series record

NEW YORK — Freddie Freeman tied George Springer‘s record of homering in five straight World Series games, hitting a two-run drive off the New York Yankees‘ Clarke Schmidt in the first inning to put the Los Angeles Dodgers ahead 2-0 in Game 3 on Monday night.

Seeking their second title in five years, the Dodgers entered with a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.

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

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.

He homered in Atlanta‘s last two games against Houston in the 2021 World Series, and he has connected in all three games of this one. An eight-time All-Star and the 2020 NL MVP, the 35-year-old Freeman has seven RBIs in the Series.

Freeman sprained his right ankle on Sept. 26 against San Diego while trying to avoid a tag at first base by the Padres’ Luis Arráez and missed the Dodgers’ last three regular-season games.

His game-ending, 10th-inning grand slam in Game 1 on Friday night, which gave the Dodgers a 6-3 win, was his first home run since Sept. 16. He followed Teoscar Hernández for back-to-back homers in the third inning of Game 2.

Springer homered in Games 4 through 7 in 2017 as the Astros beat the Dodgers for the title, then hit another in the 2019 opener against Washington.