Freddie Freeman mashed. Walker Buehler dealt. And the Los Angeles Dodgers are on the verge of the franchise’s eighth World Series championship.
After winning Games 1 and 2 at home, the Dodgers went into Yankee Stadium on Monday and secured a 4-2 victory to take a 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven series and put the Yankees on the brink of elimination.
Only a historic rally by the Yankees would prevent a Dodgers championship. The Boston Red Sox remain the only MLB team to rally from a 3-0 deficit in a best-of-seven series when they stunned the Yankees in the 2004 ALCS. No team has done so in the World Series.
As he’s been all series, Freddie Freeman was the hero Monday night thanks to a two-run home run off Yankees starter Clarke Schmidt in the top of the first inning. The blast to the right-field bleachers scored Shohei Ohtani and sucked the air out of a Yankee Stadium crowd that was hyped by a Fat Joe pregame performance and a first pitch by franchise icon Derek Jeter.
The home run was Freeman’s third in three games in this World Series including his walk-off grand slam that secured the Dodgers’ Game 1 win in extra innings. Dating back to Freeman’s World Series title with the Atlanta Braves in 2021, he’s now hit a home run in five consecutive World Series games, tying George Springer for the longest streak in World Series history.
Freeman will look to extend the record as his own in Game 4 on Tuesday as he eyes a World Series MVP trophy.
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Walker Buehler played the co-lead for the Dodgers with five nearly flawless innings that produced two Yankees hits, two walks, zero runs and five strikeouts. Buehler repeatedly flustered a loaded Yankees lineup featuring Juan Soto, Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton. He didn’t allow a base hit until the fourth inning.
The Yankees had a chance to score after posting the only two hits they would get off Buehler in the fourth. But Teoscar Hernández threw Stanton out at home to end the inning on a base hit by Anthony Volpe.
Buehler returned to pitch a 1-2-3 fifth and appeared ready for the sixth after throwing just 76 pitches. But Dodgers manager Dave Roberts rolled the dice on his bullpen rather than stress his oft-injured All-Star. The gamble paid off.
Six Dodgers relievers delivered for the final four innings to secure the win. Mookie Betts (1 for 4) and Kiké Hernández (2 for 4) delivered insurance RBI after Freeman’s second-inning home run. Ohtani was 0 for 3 with a walk and a run scored while playing with a left-shoulder injury sustained in Game 2.
Judge, Yankees bats struggle again
For the Yankees, Aaron Judge continued to struggle. The presumptive AL MVP struck out seven times in 10 at-bats in Games 1 and 2. He finished Monday night 0 for 3 with a walk and a strikeout. Soto also finished without a hit on an 0-for-3 effort.
Stanton was New York’s most productive offensive player on a 2-for-4 effort, but the Yankees couldn’t capitalize on any of their scoring chances until Alex Verdugo hit a two-run home run with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning. But that was all they would score as their late rally fell short.
Game 4 is scheduled for Tuesday at 8:08 p.m. ET, when the Yankees will look to stave off a sweep in front of their home crowd.
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Can the Yankees pull off a miracle?
It’s not likely.
In all best-of-7 postseason series, teams taking a 3-0 lead have gone on to win the series 39 of 40 times (98%), including 31 sweeps
Just 2 teams down 3-0 have forced a Game 7: 2020 Astros, who lost to the Rays in the ALCS, and the 2004 Red Sox, who beat the Yankees in the ALCS
Michael Kopech allowed two runs on an Alex Verdugo home run in the ninth, but the Dodgers held on for a 4-2 win and a 3-0 World Series lead over the New York Yankees.
The Dodgers have a chance to secure a World Series sweep of New York on Tuesday at Yankee Stadium.
Yankees down to last 3 outs
The Dodgers didn’t add any insurance and leave the top of the ninth still with a 4-0 lead.
The Yankees need a miracle rally to prevent a 3-0 World Series deficit.
Ryan Brasier retires heart of Yankees’ order
Dodgers reliever Ryan Brasier delivered while facing the heart of the Yankees’ order in the eighth. He induced a lineout from Juan Soto and walked Aaron Judge before striking out Giancarlo Stanton and Jazz Chisholm Jr. to end the inning.
The Yankees are down to their last three outs, facing a 4-0 deficit.
Thomas Kahnle caps 1-2-3 eighth
Yankees reliever Thomas Kahnle took over in the eighth for the last two outs of a 1-2-3 inning started by Clay Holmes. It’s now up to Yankees bats to make it a game. They’re down to their last six outs.
Anthony Banda gets Gleyber Torres looking on questionable call
The Yankees had their best chance to score since Giancarlo Stanton was thrown out at home in the fourth. But Anthony Banda got the job done with some help from a questionable third strike.
The Dodgers reliever took the mound with a runner on first and two outs in the bottom of the seventh. He walked Alex Verdugo in the nine hole to give leadoff hitter Gleyber Torres a chance with two men on and two outs.
Torres worked a 2-2 count, then got called out on a third strike looking that was clearly above the zone. The Dodgers catch a break and take a 4-0 lead into the eighth.
Yankees get out of 7th-inning jam
The Dodgers put runners on the corners with two outs in the top of the seventh but failed to add to their lead. They maintain a 4-0 edge heading into the seventh-inning stretch.
Yankees still scoreless
Alex Vesia got the job done, inducing a groundout by Jazz Chisholm Jr. to strand two baserunners and keep the Yankees off the scoreboard. The Dodgers maintain a 4-0 lead heading into the seventh inning.
Graterol leaves with 2 on and 2 out in the 6th
Brusdar Graterol didn’t last long. He got two outs but walked Juan Soto and allowed a single to Giancarlo Stanton to put men on first and second. Alex Vesia will take the mound to face Jazz Chisholm Jr. with two on and two out.
Will Dave Roberts regret his decision to pull Walker Buehler after 76 pitches?
Walker Buehler is done after five scoreless innings, 76 pitches
Walker Buehler’s night is finished after 76 pitches. The Dodgers’ starter allowed two hits and two walks in five scoreless but won’t see the sixth.
Reliever Brusdar Graterol is in to face the top of the Yankees’ order.
Yankees on the brink
The Yankees have played sloppy baseball throughout the postseason, and on the biggest stage, they once again lack the ability to execute cleanly.
The passed balls, bad baserunning and defensive miscues are piling up, and New York is looking like an all-around lifeless team that is in danger of being swept.
Kiké Hernández delivers again, extends Dodgers’ lead to 4-0
Postseason Kiké Hernández is a thing. The Dodgers outfielder sent a one-out base hit into center field and scored Gavin Lux from second in the sixth inning. Lux had reached on a hit-by-pitch and stole second to get into scoring position.
Hernández got caught stealing to end the inning but not before extending the Dodgers’ lead to 4-0 with some more timely hitting.
Walker Buehler continues to deal
After allowing the first Yankees hits in the fourth, Walker Buehler pitched a 1-2-3 fifth inning to keep New York off the scoreboard. Through five innings, he has allowed two hits and walked two with five strikeouts to keep the Yankees off the board.
The Dodgers lead 3-0 heading into the sixth.
Cortes pitches scoreless 5th
Freddie Freeman reached on an error to lead off the top of the fifth inning, but Nestor Cortes induced a lineout and a double play to end the inning with no damage. The Dodgers maintain a 3-0 lead in the middle of the fifth.
Teoscar Hernandez throws out Giancarlo Stanton at home to end 4th
The Yankees came up short on their best chance yet to get on the scoreboard, thanks to a great defensive play from Teoscar Hernandez. Giancarlo Stanton reached on a one-out double for the first Yankees hit of the night, then looked to leg out a run on a two-out single by Anthony Volpe into shallow left field.
But Hernandez mowed down a very slow Stanton with a perfect throw to the plate to end the inning.
Cortes gets redemption
Big-time redemption for Nestor Cortes Jr. after his unfortunate two-pitch outing in Game 1 ended with Freddie Freeman’s walk-off grand slam.
The lefty entered and struck out Shohei Ohtani and got Mookie Betts to fly out to strand two Dodgers baserunners and perhaps capture some momentum for the Yankees heading to the bottom of the fourth.
Dodgers come up empty in 4th
The Dodgers had runners on first and third with no outs in the fourth but didn’t score. The failed squeeze on the borderline call at home secured the first out. Yankees reliever Nestor Cortes then took over on the mound and struck out Shohei Ohtani and induced a lineout from Mookie Betts to end the inning.
Lux looked safe
Here’s the replay look. Lux looks safe:
Dodgers’ squeeze play fails on borderline call at home
The Dodgers gambled with a no-out squeeze in the fourth inning and lost. Gavin Lux ran home from third on a Tommy Edman bunt. The home plate umpire called him out at home as he slid headfirst. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts challenged the play.
Replay appeared to showed that Lux touched home plate just before Yankees catcher Jose Trevino placed the tag. But replay officials didn’t agree — or didn’t see enough to overturn the call on the field. Lux is out, and the Dodgers have runners on first and second with one out.
Yankees hitless after 3
Gleyber Torres walked with two outs in the third. But Juan Soto grounded out to first to end the inning, and Walker Buehler has yet to allow a hit. Buehler added two strikeouts to raise his tally through three innings to five.
The Dodgers hold a 3-0 lead after three innings.
Yankees’ bullpen under pressure now
Clarke Schmidt exited with the bases loaded after recording only eight outs.
The Yankees’ bullpen was quietly excellent in a losing effort after Carlos Rodón in Game 2, but now they’ll have to cover more than six innings effectively if the Yankees want to stick around in this game.
Mark Leiter Jr. gets out of bases-loaded jam
Mark Leiter Jr. inherited a bases-loaded jam with two outs and got out of it. The Yankees reliever pitched Will Smith to a 3-1 count, but ultimately induced an inning-ending groundout on a full count to limit the Dodgers damage to one run in the third inning.
The Dodgers hold a 3-0 lead in the middle of the third. The Yankees will look for their first baserunner in the bottom of the inning.
Clarke Schmidt is done with bases loaded
Clarke Schmidt’s night is done. After allowing an RBI single to Mookie Betts, the Yankees starter walked Freddie Freeman and Max Muncy to load the bases.
The Yankees go to reliever Mark Leiter Jr. with two outs and the bases loaded in the top of the third inning while facing a 3-0 deficit.
Mookie Betts blooper extends Dodgers’ lead
Mookie Betts dropped a ball into shallow right field that Juan Soto couldn’t catch up to, and Tommy Edman scored from second base to extend the Dodgers’ lead to 3-0 with one out in the third inning.
Shohei Ohtani swings
After walking on four pitches in his first at-bat, Shohei Ohtani took his first swing since injuring his left shoulder in Game 2. He swung and missed at a 2-0 knuckle curve inside, then grounded out to advance Tommy Edman to second base with no outs in the third inning.
After the swings, he grasped his jersey collar with his left hand as he has done throughout the night but otherwise looked no worse for wear.
Yankees hitless after 2 innings
Walker Buehler is in control through two innings. The Dodgers starter strikes out Anthony Volpe and Anthony Rizzo in a 1-2-3 second following a hitless first. The Dodgers take a 2-0 lead into the third.
Clarke Schmidt pitches 1-2-3 second
After giving up a two-run homer to Freddie Freeman in the first inning, Clarke Schmidt pitched a clean top of the second with strikeouts of Gavin Lux and Kiké Hernández. Dodgers lead 2-0 in the middle of the second.
Aaron Judge strikes out again
Make that seven strikeouts in 10 at-bats for Aaron Judge in the World Series. After a cold start in Los Angeles in Games 1 and 2, Judge just struck out swinging with one out and a man on first in the bottom of the first inning.
Walker Buehler got him with a cutter on a full count, then induced an inning-ending ground ball from Giancarlo Stanton. Dodgers lead 2-0 after one inning.
MVP Freddie?
If there was any doubt that the Dodgers’ slugging ways would sustain through the off-day and cross-country travel, Freddie Freeman put that to rest in a hurry with a 2-run HR in the top of the 1st to give L.A. the early lead.
Freeman now has a homer in each of the first three World Series games (and in five World Series games in a row dating to Games 5 and 6 of the 2021 World Series) and is the runaway favorite for World Series MVP should the Dodgers go on to claim the title.
Walker Buehler’s on the mound for the Dodgers, staked with a 2-0 lead.
Clarke Schmidt strikes out Max Muncy on three pitches to end the inning, but damage was already done. The Dodgers strike first for a 2-0 lead in the top of the first.
Freddie Freeman does it again
If the Dodgers win this, Freddie Freeman’s looking looking like a lock for MVP. He just hit his third home run in three World Series games to score Shohei Ohtani from first and give the Dodgers an early 2-0 lead.
He launched a 1-0 cutter into the right-field bleachers to suck the air out of Yankee Stadium.
Ohtani’s holding his jersey collar with his left hand as he takes a lead off first base. Don’t expect to see any steal attempts tonight or likely for the rest of the series.
Shohei walks on 4 pitches
We’ll have to wait to see how Shohei Ohtani’s swing looks with his injured shoulder. He walks on four pitches to lead off the game.
Clarke Schmidt is on the mound, and Shohei Ohtani’s taking swings in the on-deck circle. It’s almost time for Game 3.
Still waiting on that first pitch.
Here’s Fat Joe:
We’re moments away from first pitch. Fat Joe is hyping the crowd before Clarke Schmidt takes the mound for the top of the first. We’re well past the scheduled 8:08 p.m. ET start time.
Jeter delivers a strike, because of course he does.
Derek Jeter’s throwing out the first pitch. That should get the Bronx appropriately hyped for Game 3.
Shohei Ohtani took the field holding his left arm gingerly during pregame introductions. He wore something over his uniform and under his jacket over his injured left shoulder as he ran onto the field.
Some folks are speculating that it’s a sling, but this isn’t how you wear a sling:
Can Aaron Judge snap cold streak?
All eyes are on Aaron Judge tonight. The presumptive AL MVP is batting .150 in the postseason and is 0-for 10 in the playoffs with runners in scoring position. He combined for six strikeouts in Games 1 and 2 of the World Series in Los Angeles as the Yankees dug an 0-2 hole.
For the Dodgers, a massive sigh of relief with their Game 3 lineup card. Shohei Ohtani will not miss a game after dislocating his left shoulder while sliding during an attempted steal in Game 2. He’ll take his normal place at the top of the Dodgers order.
Yankees make change at catcher
Here’s the Yankees’ lineup for Game 3, with the most notable move coming at catcher. Jose Trevino will start behind the plate and bat seventh in the lineup in place of regular starter Austin Wells. Wells went a combined 1-for-8 in Games 1 and 2 and is batting .098 in the postseason.
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