Dodgers’ Freddie Freeman homers again in Game 4 to set pair of World Series records

By MIKE FITZPATRICK AP Baseball Writer

NEW YORK — One day, Freddie Freeman will look back on this World Series tear and shake his head in disbelief.

Just like everyone else.

Freeman broke a pair of Series records Tuesday when he homered yet again for the Dodgers in Game 4 against the New York Yankees.

The first baseman laced a two-run shot to right field in the first inning for the second consecutive night, making him the first player to go deep in the first four games of a Fall Classic. The streak began with his walk-off grand slam in the 10th inning of Game 1.

“Pretty cool, obviously,” said Freeman, who was bothered earlier in the postseason by a lingering ankle injury. “Hopefully I can keep it going tomorrow.”

Freeman also became the lone player to homer in six straight World Series games, dating to the 2021 championship he won with Atlanta against Houston.

“I feel good,” he said. “I found a cue during the time I was able to work on my swing with my ankle feeling better. And I’ve been actually seeing the ball really well. They’re making mistakes and I’ve been able to hit ’em.”

Freeman’s latest drive wasn’t enough on this night, though, as the Yankees averted a four-game sweep with an 11-4 victory. The Dodgers lead 3-1 in the Series and still need one win for their second championship in five years and the franchise’s eighth overall.

George Springer went deep in five consecutive Series games for the Astros from 2017-19. He is the only hitter besides Freeman to connect in four straight games during one World Series, doing it in Games 4 through 7 in 2017 against the Dodgers before hitting another home run in the 2019 opener against Washington.

The only other players to homer in the first three games of a World Series were Yankees outfielder Hank Bauer (1958) and San Francisco Giants slugger Barry Bonds (2002).

Freeman drove in a third run Tuesday night when he hustled hard to beat out a potential inning-ending double play in the fifth, a call at first base that was overturned following a replay challenge.

“You saw me flying down the line tonight,” Freeman said with a smile.

That gave him 10 RBIs in the Series, tied for third-most in a Fall Classic by any player and two more than the previous Dodgers record shared by Hall of Famers Duke Snider (1952) and Gil Hodges (1956).

Bobby Richardson holds the major league mark with 12 for the Yankees in a losing effort against Pittsburgh in 1960.

Following a one-out double by Mookie Betts, Freeman lined a 2-and-1 slider from rookie starter Luis Gil over the short porch in right field at Yankee Stadium for his 14th career postseason homer.

The ball landed in the first few rows of seats, a little to the left of the 314-foot sign in the corner, and a pumped-up Freeman shouted in excitement toward the Dodgers’ dugout as he rounded the bases.

His drive came on the 15th pitch of the game and put the Dodgers ahead 2-0 – the same as Monday night, when Freeman homered to right off Clarke Schmidt.

Freeman, the 2020 NL MVP with the Braves, missed three games during the National League playoffs this year because of his ailing ankle. Coming into the World Series, he had one RBI and no extra-base hits this postseason before legging out a triple his first time up in Game 1.

“I’m telling you, we really got out of the woods on that. Obviously, it’s still swollen. But I feel good. I’m in a good spot,” Freeman said. “I have no concerns about it right now.”

The popular eight-time All-Star is batting .313 (5 for 16) with one walk and a 1.540 OPS in the World Series.

“I’m not even thinking about my ankle,” he said. “I’m OK, promise.”