Anthony Volpe hit a Grand Slam in the 3rd inning to propel the Yanks back from an early 2-0 deficit, Austin Wells hit a Bomb in the 5th for a 6-4 lead, and Gleyber Torres hit a 3-run shot as part of a 5-run rally in the 8th to bash the Dodgers 11-4 at an electric Yankee Stadium in Game 4 of the World Series on a Wednesday night.
NY — after blowing game 1 and almost coming back in game 2 — finally wins its first game of the World Series, but still has its back to the ropes, trailing 3 games to 1.
Volpe not only hit the Grand Slam but used his electric speed to gain a run in the 8th — leading off with a double in a tight 6-4 game, stealing 3rd base, and scoring on a 1-out grounder back to the pitcher. He also made a couple of tremendous plays in the field.
“It took a little bit of the burden off,” said Luke Weaver about Volpe’s Grand Slam. “It took a little bit of the weight (off). It was awesome coming from a guy like Volpe — he shows so much energy on the field; he plays with his heart. Coming from him, you could feel like everybody was just lifted from it.”
“The 8th inning was a beautiful one,” Weaver added. “I felt Duggie’s at bat was an incredible at bat — it set up the moment. You allowed something to happen by him putting it in play; Volpe does something again there with his speed and then you have Gleyber putting a Huge swing on it, in an at bat where it was 11 pitches beforehand. And it’s hard as a pitcher — we get really annoyed when things like that happen. It’s hard to get swing and miss when you’re trying to get it in that situation. That for me was the tone-setter right there.”
1. Freeman Hits ANOTHER HR in 1st
Down 3-0 in games and up against the ropes, the Yankees started rookie sensation Luis Gil and he got Shohei Ohtani to start the game, but next batter Mookie Betts ripped one down the 1st base line for an opposite-field double, and Freddie Freeman hit a BLAST to right for a 2-run homer and just like that again — LA was up 2-0 — before many fans had even gotten to their seats.
NO WAY!!!
FREDDIE HAS DONE IT AGAIN ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?
?: FOX pic.twitter.com/GKVj3RCBu2
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 30, 2024
2. Yankee Fans Turn the Series Karma?
Gil settled down to get out of the 1st inning, but Yankee fans had had enough. Gleyber Torres led off the bottom of the 1st with a foul fly to the right-field corner, where Mookie Betts made a terrific catch jumping up over the foul wall — but a fan ripped the ball out of Mookie’s glove, while his buddy held Betts’ arm as if the two were about to yank Betts into the stands — LA would be missing a right fielder.
“Well, A for effort.”
Fan interference was called on this play where a Yankee fan tried to take the ball out of Mookie Betts’ glove after an out. pic.twitter.com/iZ6taImncd
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 30, 2024
Reaction was viral and mixed — it either had fans laughing or disdaining the action. Some thought it was hilarious — but it would not have been funny had the Yanks been leading the series and the game; as it was — with the Yanks losing the series and the game and everything seemingly not going their way — it seemed very funny.
In any case it seemed to immediately shift the karma and mojo of the teams to the Yankees’ favor.
The Angel Restrains Abraham from Sacrificing Isaac, by Jacob Franquart, 1616, ? by @albello55 pic.twitter.com/GI6eHZa2j9
— ArtButMakeItSports (@ArtButSports) October 30, 2024
The Mojo shift was almost immediate: in the top of the 2nd, Gavin Lux led off with a double, but was doubled off 2nd by an inning-ending line drive double play to 1st.
3. Wells Double Leads to NY Run in 2nd
The Dodgers threw a bullpen day at NY — opening with reliever Ben Casparius, who came in with a 2-0 2.16 record.
He pitched around a couple of walks in the 1st, but in the bottom of the 2nd, Anthony Volpe walked and stole 2nd, and Austin Wells ripped a 1-out double off the wall in right center — that somehow Volpe did not score one; he held at 2nd too long then stumbled so stayed at 3rd.
It was no-harm-no-foul as next batter Alex Verdugo grounded out to 1st.
The Yankees are on the board and only trail by one!#WorldSeries pic.twitter.com/SAvyHR4UU8
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 30, 2024
4. Volpe Grand Slam Electrifies Stadium in 3rd
And then came the bottom of the 3rd — NY down 2-1 and Daniel Hudson in to pitch for LA. After Juan Soto struck out, Aaron Judge got hit with a pitch, Jazz Chisholm Jr. singled, and Giancarlo Stanton walked to load the bases — bringing up Anthony Volpe — who ripped a Grand Slam to left as Yankee Stadium Exploded.
Grand Slam courtesy of Anthony Volpe. pic.twitter.com/tHOmVu9DLJ
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) October 30, 2024
5. Dodgers Creep Back Against Gil
Luis Gil pitched a shutout 2nd, 3rd, and 4th inning but in the 5th Will Smith led off with a homer to right center and it was a 5-3 game. Gil walked a batter and was gone — for Tim Hill.
First batter Shohei Ohtani answered the “what if” question from game 1 — “What if manager Aaron Boone had brought in Tim Hill instead of Nestor Cortes to pitch in the bottom of the 10th with bases loaded and Ohtani up — Nestor got Ohtani to foul out but surrended a grand slam to Freeman.
The answer: Ohtani ripped a single to centerfield off Hill. A fielder’s choice put runners on 1st and 3rd with 1 out, and Hill appeared to get out of the inning with a double play grounder — but that man again — Freddie Freeman — beat out the throw to 1st (LA winning the challenge) and it was a 5-4 game.
6. Red-Hot Wells HR Gives NY 6-4 Lead
The Dodgers brought in Landon Knack to eat innings and he did a good job — until the now Red Hot Austin Wells Ripped a homer to right off him in the 6th — for a 6-4 Yankee lead.
Wells to the 2nd deck ? pic.twitter.com/RJ0RvFiv0Q
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) October 30, 2024
7. Yankee Bullpen Shuts Down Dodgers
Clay Holmes got the last out of the 5th and pitched a 1-2-3 shutout 6th, striking out 2.
Mark Leiter Jr. sandwiched a walk with 2 strikeouts in the 7th — striking out Ohtani for the 2nd out of the inning with a runner on 2nd.
8. Dream Weaver for Heart of LA Order in 7th & 8th
And then Boone went to Luke Weaver to face the heart of the Dodger order — and Weaver did not disappoint — striking out Mookie Betts to end the 7th, and then pitching a 1-2-3 inning in the 8th, striking out Teoscar Hernandez and Max Muncey.
9. Volpe Speed Gains a Run
And so it was to the bottom of the 8th in a Tight, 6-4 game — the Yankees on the ropes. With 1 out, Anthony Volpe doubled against Brent Honeywell, and Austin Wells walked.
Volpe then stole 3rd, Austin Wells stealing 2nd behind him in a double steal.
Alex Verdugo hit a grounder to 2nd and Volpe flew home, scoring to make it a 7-4 game.
Alex Verdugo plates an insurance run on the 11th pitch of the at-bat! #WorldSeries pic.twitter.com/tTQhz9DaeP
— MLB (@MLB) October 30, 2024
10. Gleyber, Judge Blow It Open
And then Gleyber Torres hit a SHOT into the short porch in right and it was 10-4.
Gleyber good. #WorldSeries pic.twitter.com/aLuJLX3JZx
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) October 30, 2024
Juan Soto followed with a double to right, and Aaron Judge hit a sharp single to left for an 11-4 game.
Aaron adds on ? pic.twitter.com/l9sFvOTvgW
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) October 30, 2024
11. Mayza Finishes
The balooned lead allowed Luke Weaver to take a seat, making him available for Game 5. Tim Mayza finished up — pitching a 1-2-3 inning in the 9th for the old ballgame.
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