Freddie Freeman hits a walk-off grand slam in the World Series, a breakdown
What Happened
In a thrilling game one of the World Series between the New York Yankees and the Los Angeles Dodgers, Freddie Freeman of the Dodgers steps up to the plate in the bottom of the 10th inning with the bases loaded. The Yankees have just taken a one-run lead, and the Dodgers are down to their final three outs. Yankees pitcher Jake Cousins is on the mound, known for his devastating slider that he uses to dominate right-handed hitters. Cousins gets ahead of the count against Dodgers outfielder Cody Bellinger, but then struggles to find the strike zone against left-handed hitters Gavin Lux and Tommy Edmond, walking them both to load the bases with two outs. This brings up Shohei Ohtani, the Dodgers' two-way star. Ohtani rips a ball down the right field line, but Dodgers outfielder Andrew Verdugo makes a spectacular catch, diving over the wall to keep the ball in play. However, the umpires rule that Verdugo went out of play with the ball, allowing the runners to advance. With first base now open, the Yankees intentionally walk Mookie Betts to face the left-handed batting Freddie Freeman. On the first pitch, Freeman unloads, crushing a grand slam deep into the Los Angeles night to give the Dodgers a walk-off victory in Game 1. The Dodger Stadium crowd erupts in pandemonium, with fans jumping up and down, hugging each other, and capturing the moment on their phones. Freeman triumphantly rounds the bases, holding his arms up in celebration as his teammates mob him at home plate. "Oh, baby! It's not that Dodger time, baby!" Freeman exclaims, echoing the excitement of the Dodgers faithful. Reactions from players on both teams capture the magnitude of the moment - Ohtani's jaw drops, Dodgers pitcher Jack Flaherty's mouth hangs open in disbelief, and Yankees first baseman Luke Voit can only shake his head. It's a game-changing grand slam that gives the Dodgers an early advantage in this highly anticipated World Series matchup between two of baseball's powerhouse franchises. The action-packed 10th inning will be remembered as an instant classic, with Freddie Freeman's heroics capping off an unforgettable finish to Game 1.
Full Transcript
Click timestamps to jump to that momentGame one of the World Series between the Yankees and the Dodgers lived up to its billing.
This breakdown is brought to you by Blitzball Battle 5.
I'm jumping straight to the bottom of the 10th inning.
The Yankees just took the lead.
They have Jake Cousins in, who is really good against righty batters because he has this slider,
which is crazy.
So that's strike one.
He usually throws it for the swing and miss like that.
Doesn't get the swing and miss on Smith there.
That's the other pitch to sinker.
Fans are worried.
Three outs away from losing in L.A.
Again, drops it in for a strike.
I'm going to rewind and just show you that pitch slowly because it is crazy.
And to righty batters, it looks like it's going at them, so they give up on it,
and then it dives into the zone.
It's a nasty pitch.
Looks like wiffle ball.
Throws it again.
Gets the swing.
It's bad contact.
Juan Soto walks backwards.
The Yankees are two outs.
Two outs away from winning game one.
Now a lefty comes up.
That pitch isn't as effective to lefties, but the Yankees have used a lot of relievers.
The Dodgers have great balance in their lineup.
Cousins has to face Lux.
Not getting any swings.
Not getting any swings.
And then doesn't hit the zone.
So he walks Lux, the eight-hole hitter, to bring up Tommy Edmond, the nine-hole hitter,
who is a switch hitter and decides to bat lefty.
Gets that call.
Strike.
I don't think that was there.
And we're rubbing our hands, and we're getting nervous, but excited.
Gets the head call.
Strike.
So he's gotten both sides, and the Yankees fans are like, okay, I don't believe in this, but okay.
Goes for the slider again on the outside.
One and two now with the runner on first base.
I am desperately rooting for a double play ball as a Yankee fan, and we get a grounder to second.
Can't come up with the ball.
I don't think they would have turned two,
but they would have got one because now Otani's coming up.
Oversliding this much causes such a ripple effect in the game.
If he stops that ball and he's able to throw it to first and get the out, first base is open.
Lux is on second base.
They probably intentionally walk Otani, the lefty, keep Jake Cousins on the mound to face Mookie Betts,
the righty, for the final out.
And that's a situation.
That's a situation.
That's a situation.
That's a situation.
That's a situation.
That's a situation where the Yankees like the matchup.
Instead, he overslides the ball, doesn't stop it.
They get no one out.
First base is not open, so they go to the bullpen and they bring in Nestor Cortez Jr.,
who has not pitched in a long time, like three weeks, four weeks.
Hasn't been in a postseason game.
Also not a reliever.
He does have good numbers against Otani, so they go to him because they don't think they're
going to be able to double up.
They don't want to double up Otani because he runs so damn fast.
They want to strike out.
They go to Nestor.
Bit of a crazy move.
But Nestor pitches with, you know, some gusto sometimes.
First pitch, they go fastball inside.
It's really like dead center.
It's 92.
But Otani puts it in play and Verdugo makes a spectacular play.
Tracks it down.
Goes over the wall.
But you can see the umpires.
You can see this umpire runs out and says, no, he went out of play with the ball.
And then he threw it in from out of play.
And you can see this umpire say, you go to third.
Because basically it's like when you throw the ball and it goes into the dugout and the
runners advance.
But an amazing play by Verdugo.
His second amazing play of the game.
And if that left hand, if he's able to stop his momentum with his left hand and those
fingers right there and not completely flip over, that runner doesn't go to third.
And it stays first and second.
And that probably changes the course of the inning.
Because you don't have an open base.
But yeah, great effort.
And I'm not faulting Verdugo for falling over.
I'm just pointing out how little, how little things could have changed it.
Says Otani.
And Soto gives some glove claps for Verdugo's effort.
He likes it.
He's also worried that he's hurt, but he likes it.
Now Freddie Freeman is going to be up because they intentionally walk Mookie Betts because
he's a righty.
And the lefty pitcher is probably going to get the lefty batter out.
You know, better.
Odds.
That's what baseball is all about.
Matchups.
But instead, first pitch fastball inside the Freddie Freeman.
He absolutely smokes it.
He absolutely knows it.
He goes statue of Liberty pose.
Just bam.
And then holds his torch up in the air and parades himself around the bases.
First pitch fastball low and into a lefty.
That's a lefty hitter sweet spot.
And he absolutely knew it.
Look at the scan of the crowd here.
It's it's awesome.
Really?
I mean, just the mouths go drop.
I like this kid in the back right here.
His mouth is just way open.
Just everyone's just got open mouth.
Look at the two hoodies in the second row there.
They're climbing on each other.
They're celebrating Dodgers with the curly hairs, jumping up and down and filming.
It's just madness the whole way through.
Everyone's jumping up and down.
And then they find there's someone that they're with to hug like the scarf guy.
I like the lady in the bomber jacket.
And I'm guessing her husband.
They turn.
Instant hugs.
You got hugs behind them.
Really cool scene.
Hugs on the left there.
Those two guys, that couple, maybe family.
Those three are hugging more hugs down the line.
Freddie just celebrating three way hug and high fives going on there at the very end.
Really cool.
Really cool.
What does Freddie say here?
Oh, yeah, baby.
It's not that Dodger time, baby.
Maybe it's that.
I don't know.
Tony's reaction.
Of course, they got cameras on Ohtani.
You need to do.
Oh, oh, oh, oh.
Gratter all with the Kenny Powers hair.
Mookie's pumped up.
Let's go.
Let's go.
Yeah.
Walk off Grand Slam.
Er.
Er.
Oh.
Oh.
Yeah.
Jack Flaherty comes in just big old mouth like wide mouth frog.
Wide mouth frog.
Look at it.
Look at this angle.
Oh, oh.
That is look like Jack Flaherty trying to stretch his face in half.
What's going on there?
We got a good water cooler dump on Freddie who makes some good faces.
Oh, oh, oh.
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, Muncie laughs.
What was that sound Freeman?
What was that?
Teoscar's there.
Mookie.
It's like fucking.
They all hang out together to top of the line.
I'm going to haunt me in my dreams.
Damn.
I like that.
Yep.
I didn't like it.
Blitzball battle five comes out November 4th.
It's really fun.
It's reality show meets baseball meets.
It's wiffle ball in a warehouse.
I play my team.
We're in search of redemption.
You can watch we're game one.
Check it out.
Wrong hand.