World

World Series Game 4 recap: Yankees defeat Dodgers 11-4 to stay alive

Published

3 weeks ago

October 29, 2024

Admin

World Series Game 4 recap: Yankees defeat Dodgers 11-4 to stay alive

The New York Yankees avoided a sweep in the World Series, beating the Los Angeles Dodgers 11-4 in Game 4 on Tuesday to stay alive.

The Dodgers still lead the best-of-seven battle 3-1, but the Yankees’ bats finally have some juice after a slow start in the Fall Classic.

New York scored only seven runs in the first three games combined before an 11-run outburst Tuesday. Shortstop Anthony Volpe hit a grand slam in the third inning to give the Yankees a 5-2 lead they would never relinquish, while second baseman Gleyber Torres hit a three-run shot in the middle of a five-run eighth inning.

The game started with a familiar script, as Los Angeles first baseman Freddie Freeman hit a two-run homer in the top of the first to give the Dodgers a 2-0 lead. Freeman has hit a homer in every game so far this series, and has a home run in each of his last six World Series games dating back to 2021.

Unlike in Game 3, when Freeman also hit a two-run shot in the first, this time the Yankees came back.

New York outfielder Alex Verdugo drove home a run via fielder’s choice in the bottom of the second to cut the deficit in half. Then Volpe hit his bases-clearing blast an inning later to give them the lead.

Los Angeles chipped away, scoring two runs in the top of the fifth to close the gap to 5-4. But Yankees catcher Austin Wells hit a solo home run in the sixth before New York poured it on in the eighth.

Yankees star Aaron Judge — a leader for AL MVP who has struggled this postseason — even got in on the action, hitting an RBI single for the team’s last run, the first run he’s driven in during the series.

Wells was asked postgame what will need to continue for the Yankees to remain in the series.

“A lot of what happened today,” Wells said. “A lot of good ABs. A lot of moving the lineup over and just trying to get through their pitching staff. It’s going to take a lot.”

Luis Gil started for the Yankees, pitching four innings and giving up four runs.

The Dodgers opted for a bullpen game Tuesday, though they ironically used fewer pitchers than New York. Daniel Hudson, who gave up the grand slam to Volpe, picked up the loss.

Game 5 is Wednesday in the Bronx. Gerrit Cole is in line to start for the Yankees while the Dodgers will turn to Jack Flaherty.

No team in baseball history has come back in the World Series from an 0-3 deficit. Despite facing long odds, Torres said the team is always confident when Cole takes the mound.

“Gerrit is the best pitcher in the game,” Torres said. “We really believe in him. We really believe in what he is capable of doing. But we have to do the job like we did tonight so we don’t have to put all the pressure on him.”