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Freddie Freeman: 'As Good as it Gets' to Hit Walk-Off in Dodgers' G1 Win vs. Yankees

Adam Wells

Freddie Freeman was on cloud nine after hitting the second walk-off grand slam in MLB postseason history to give the Los Angeles Dodgers a 6-3 win over the New York Yankees in Game 1 of the World Series.

Speaking to reporters after the game, Freeman called his dramatic moment "as good as it gets" for a big leaguer.

Freeman's walk-off blast came against Yankees pitcher Nestor Cortés Jr. after New York took a 3-2 lead in the top of the 10th inning.

The game started as a pitcher's duel between Gerrit Cole and Jack Flaherty. It was scoreless through four innings before the Dodgers broke through in the bottom of the fifth on an Enrique Hernández sacrifice fly that drove in Will Smith.

New York came back in the top half of the sixth when Giancarlo Stanton hit a two-run homer off Flaherty. It was the fourth straight playoff game that the five-time All-Star has hit a home run dating back to Game 3 of the ALCS.

The Dodgers took advantage of some sloppy defense by the Yankees to tie the game in the bottom of the eighth. Shohei Ohtani doubled to right and advanced to third when the ball bounced off Gleyber Torres' glove on the throw back to the infield.

Mookie Betts drove in Ohtani with a sacrifice fly. Jazz Chisholm Jr. created a run on his own in the 10th inning with a single and two stolen bases before crossing the plate on Anthony Volpe's groundout.

The stage was set for another iconic walk-off homer for the Dodgers in the World Series. Yankees manager Aaron Boone made the strange decision to intentionally walk Betts with two outs and runners on first and second after Ohtani flied out.

It didn't help that Cortes hadn't pitched in a game since Sept. 18 due to an elbow injury. Freeman took the first pitch he saw and launched it over the fence in right field for the win.

The only other walk-off grand slam in a playoff game happened 13 years ago in the ALCS between the Texas Rangers and Detroit Tigers. Nelson Cruz gave the Rangers a 7-3 win over the Tigers when he took Ryan Perry deep in the bottom of the 11th.

Robin Ventura did hit a grand slam for the New York Mets in Game 5 of the 1999 NLCS against the Atlanta Braves, but it was officially scored as a single because he only got to first base before being mobbed by his teammates.

Freeman finished the game 2-for-5 with a triple, homer and four RBI. He had been hobbled by an ankle injury to the point that Dodgers manager Dave Roberts kept him out of the lineup for the clinching Game 6 against the Mets in the NLCS.

The Dodgers will send Yoshinobu Yamamoto to the mound against Carlos Rodón as they look to take a 2-0 series lead against the Yankees in Game 2 of the World Series on Saturday night.

   

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