Freddie Freeman’s name will forever be etched in World Series lore after delivering one of the most iconic moments in postseason history on Friday night as the Los Angeles Dodgers took on the New York Yankees in Game one of the 2024 World Series.
With the Dodgers trailing the Yankees by one run in the 10th inning, Freeman stepped up to the plate with the bases loaded and two outs. He then launched an inside fastball from Nestor Cortes deep into the night sky, sending it sailing 409 feet into the right-field pavilion for a walk-off grand slam.
The crowd of 52,394 at Dodger Stadium erupted into chaos as their collective roar shook the stadium. Teammates spilled out of the dugout, rushing to greet Freeman as he circled the bases with a look of disbelief. For Freeman, who had battled a severely sprained right ankle all month and endured a challenging season, the moment felt surreal.
“I felt like nothing,” Freeman said. “Just kind of floating.”
Freeman became the first player in World Series history to hit a walk-off grand slam, a feat he could hardly believe. He also joined an exclusive club of just three Dodgers to ever hit a walk-off home run in the World Series, with Max Muncy being the last to do so in 2018. But the moment carried even more weight given the historical connection it invoked. Freeman’s clutch shot drew comparisons to the legendary walk-off by Kirk Gibson in the 1988 World Series, which propelled the Dodgers to a championship. That was the last time the Dodgers won it all, and now, with Freeman’s heroics, they’re just three wins away from another title.
“When you’re 5 years old with your two older brothers, playing wiffle ball in the backyard, those are the scenarios you dream about — two outs, bases loaded in a World Series game,” Freeman said. “For it to actually happen, and get a home run and walk it off to give us a 1-0 lead, that’s as good as it gets.”
Throughout the night, it seemed as though the Dodgers might miss their chance. They struggled to capitalize on several opportunities against Yankees ace Gerrit Cole, scoring only once in the first six innings despite having multiple runners in scoring position. Meanwhile, Jack Flaherty was putting together a stellar performance on the mound for the Dodgers, but the offense couldn’t break through.
The Yankees took the lead in the sixth inning, thanks to a two-run homer from Giancarlo Stanton — his sixth of the postseason. But the Dodgers continued to battle. In the bottom of the seventh, they threatened again, putting two runners in scoring position with one out. However, Will Smith and Gavin Lux couldn’t come through in the clutch.
But the Dodgers weren’t finished. In the eighth inning, Shohei Ohtani doubled off the wall in right field, advanced to third when Juan Soto’s throw went awry, and then scored on a sacrifice fly from Mookie Betts to tie the game. Then, in the top of the 10th, the Yankees seemed to have found the go-ahead run when Jazz Chisholm Jr. manufactured a run all on his own. After lining a single, stealing two bases, and scoring on a fielder’s choice groundout, Chisholm put New York ahead 3-2.
But the Dodgers weren’t going to let the game slip away. With one out, Gavin Lux drew a walk, and Tommy Edman followed with a single to set the stage for the heart of the Dodgers’ lineup. Yankees manager Aaron Boone made a curious decision, calling upon left-handed pitcher Nestor Cortes — who had not pitched in over a month due to injury — to face Ohtani. Ohtani worked a long at-bat but eventually lofted a fly ball that Alex Verdugo made a spectacular, yet perilous, lunging catch on near the left-field fence. The catch forced both runners to advance, and with first base open, the Yankees opted to intentionally walk Betts, setting up the left-on-left matchup with Freeman.
Freeman’s approach to the at-bat was one of calm precision. Having faced Cortes earlier in the season, he knew what to expect. He focused on staying on time with the fastball, a pitch that Cortes often jams hitters with on the inner half. When the pitch came, Freeman was ready. He crushed it, sending it flying off his bat at a blistering 109.2 mph.
“I wanted to be on time,” Freeman said. “And I was.”
As the ball cleared the fence, the Dodger Stadium crowd erupted once more, their celebrations an outpouring of joy and relief. Freeman had delivered one of the most memorable moments in World Series history, a moment that had been building for years in the minds of every baseball fan who ever dreamed of hitting a walk-off in the biggest game of all.
The Dodgers’ 6-3 victory in Game 1 gives them a 1-0 lead in the series, but Freeman’s grand slam will remain the moment they’ll never forget. It was a night where time seemed to stand still, and the dreams of a child in the backyard became a reality on the grandest stage.
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