Freeman and Buehler lead Dodgers past Yankees 4-2 for 3-0 advantage in World Series

NEW YORK (AP) — After all this buildup, it's been all Dodgers so far.

Freddie Freeman homered for the third straight game and Walker Buehler produced another World Series gem as Los Angeles beat Los Angeles. Slumping New York Yankees Monday night for a 3-0 lead in the 4-2 Fall Classic.

Despite playing with superstar Shohei Ohtani Partially dislocated left shoulder, The Dodgers cruised to a surprising sweep in this much-hyped matchup between traditional powers.

“Another win. That's all I care about right now,” Freeman said.

Teoscar Hernandez singled out a runner at home plate with a pinpoint peg to left field. Mookie Betts and Kike Hernandez each delivered an RBI single, and the Dodgers chased Yankees starter Clark Schmidt in the third inning.

Buehler and six relievers combined for a five-hitter for Los Angeles, its second championship in five years and eighth in franchise history.

“Walker Buhler, he's been doing it his whole career in big games, big moments,” Freeman said. “Step up when you need him.”

Freeman's two-run shot gave three batters Home runs in five consecutive World Series games Dating to 2021 with Atlanta, matches a major league record set by George Springer with Houston.

Looking much healthier since suffering a sprained right ankle earlier this postseason, Freeman connected for the first game-ending grand slam in World Series history to win the dramatic opener in Los Angeles.

Since then it has been a one-sided fight.

Game 4 is Tuesday night at Yankee Stadium. Up to three healthy starters, the Dodgers plan their fourth bullpen game this postseason. Rookie right-hander Lewis Gill is headed to New York.

Only team in major league history to overcome a 3–0 deficit in a best-of-seven postseason series against the Yankees in the 2004 American League Championship Series.

“Hopefully we can be this amazing story and shock the world,” New York manager Aaron Boone said. “But right now it's about trying to get a lead, trying to take over a game and force another one and then from there. But we have to catch one first.”

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts aided that stunning Red Sox comeback with a crucial stolen base.

“Don't talk about it. wrong guy Too soon,” he said. “I don't want to divulge any secrets, but on the other hand, I think we have to stay focused, stay urgent.”

In the previous 11 World Series meetings between these old October rivals, the Dodgers swept the lone sweep in 1963 behind Hall of Fame pitchers Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale.

This is the only other time the Dodgers have led 3-0 in a World Series.

New York has not been swept in a Fall Classic by the Cincinnati Reds since 1976. But on all five occasions they've fallen behind 3-0 in a best-of-seven postseason series, the Yankees have lost Game 4.

Los Angeles has won seven consecutive World Series games against the Yankees dating back to its 1981 crown.

It marked the first series game at Yankee Stadium since New York won its 27th title in 2009 against Philadelphia. But returning home didn't help Aaron Judge's skidding Unpunched Bronx BomberFour runs and nine hits in the last two games.

New York didn't score until Alex Verdugo's two-run homer off Michael Kopech with two outs in the ninth inning. Kopech then retired Gleyber Torres on a grounder to end it.

Buehler allowed two hits in five innings. His only previous win this year came on May 18 against Cincinnati in an injury-destroyed season.

The two-time All-Star improved to 4-4 in 18 career postseason starts, including a 2-0 record with a 0.50 ERA in three World Series outings. He gave up one run and seven hits with 22 strikeouts in 18 innings in that assignment — Game 3s against Boston (2018), Tampa Bay (2020) and the Yankees.

“It's weird. For me, I think the playoffs, the big game, that's always the only thing I really care about,” Buhler said. “I've been awful all year. I think once you get to the playoffs, the adrenaline, I think whatever fear I had about my elbow or trying to throw a certain pitch or whatever goes away, because now it's all, it's over. It helped me I think.”

After the Yankees struggled at the plate during two losses in Los Angeles, Boone decided against any major changes to the lineup.

The New York players held a brief meeting in the afternoon, and a recording of the late Yankees public address announcer Bob Shepard introduced five-time World Series champion Derek Jeter as he threw out a ceremonial first pitch. Bronx-born rapper Fat Joe regaled the sellout crowd of 49,368 with a pregame performance in the infield.

But it was the Dodgers who got off to a fast start.

Schmidt walked Ohtani on four pitches to start the game. One out later, Freeman sent a 1-2 cutter 355 feet into the lower deck in right field for his 13th career postseason homer.

He joins Yankees outfielder Hank Bauer (1958) and Giants slugger Barry Bonds (2002) as the only players to go deep in the first three games of a World Series.

“When you come to a road park, you want to try to hit early and calm the crowd down and we were able to do that in the first inning,” Freeman said.

Ohtani finished 0 for 3 with that walk and grazed leg by a pitch. He limped after several swings and clutched his collar with his left hand even as he took the lead off first base to protect his ailing shoulder.

But he got through the game just fine.

“The pain went down, so I felt pretty good about it,” Ohtani said through a translator. “I was told to wear a device that kept my shoulders warm. So during the (pregame) ceremony and throughout the game, I wore it as the coaches recommended. The reason I held myself up while running was to make sure I didn't use the same shoulder arm when I slid.

No. 9 batter Tommy Edman drew another four-pitch walk from Schmidt to advance to third and Bates' bloop single scored. Kiké Hernández added an RBI single in the sixth.

Schmidt walked four over 2 2/3 innings in his third postseason start. He lost his fifth consecutive decision to win in Minnesota on May 16.

New York nailed a runner at home plate when Edman attempted a safety bunt in the fourth, but the Dodgers flashed some sensational defense to stop the Yankees' momentum.

Bates took a diving catch to right field after Giancarlo Stanton doubled with one out in the fourth. Teoscar Hernandez blasted all of his teammates with a perfect 94 mph throw to the plate on Anthony Volpe's single, cutting off Stanton to preserve a 3-0 cushion.

Next UP

Gill (15-7, 3.50 ERA) made a postseason start by allowing two runs in four innings for a no-decision in Game 4 of the ALCS at Cleveland.

He won seven starts before a no-decision against the Dodgers at Yankee Stadium on June 9, when he allowed three runs in 5 2/3 innings of New York's 6-4 victory.

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