Follow along for live coverage of Game 5
The New York Yankees avoided a sweep in the World Series, beating the Los Angeles Dodgers 11-4 in Game 4 on Tuesday to stay alive.
The Dodgers still lead the best-of-seven battle 3-1, but the Yankees’ bats finally have some juice after a slow start in the Fall Classic.
New York scored only seven runs in the first three games combined before an 11-run outburst Tuesday. Shortstop Anthony Volpe hit a grand slam in the third inning to give the Yankees a 5-2 lead they would never relinquish, while second baseman Gleyber Torres hit a three-run shot in the middle of a five-run eighth inning.
The game started with a familiar script, as Los Angeles first baseman Freddie Freeman hit a two-run homer in the top of the first to give the Dodgers a 2-0 lead. Freeman has hit a homer in every game so far this series, and has a home run in each of his last six World Series games dating back to 2021.
Unlike in Game 3, when Freeman also hit a two-run shot in the first, this time the Yankees came back.
New York outfielder Alex Verdugo drove home a run via fielder’s choice in the bottom of the second to cut the deficit in half. Then Volpe hit his bases-clearing blast an inning later to give them the lead.
Los Angeles chipped away, scoring two runs in the top of the fifth to close the gap to 5-4. But Yankees catcher Austin Wells hit a solo home run in the sixth before New York poured it on in the eighth.
Yankees star Aaron Judge — a leader for AL MVP who has struggled this postseason — even got in on the action, hitting an RBI single for the team’s last run, the first run he’s driven in during the series.
Wells was asked postgame what will need to continue for the Yankees to remain in the series.
“A lot of what happened today,” Wells said. “A lot of good ABs. A lot of moving the lineup over and just trying to get through their pitching staff. It’s going to take a lot.”
Luis Gil started for the Yankees, pitching four innings and giving up four runs.
The Dodgers opted for a bullpen game Tuesday, though they ironically used fewer pitchers than New York. Daniel Hudson, who gave up the grand slam to Volpe, picked up the loss.
Game 5 is Wednesday in the Bronx. Gerrit Cole is in line to start for the Yankees while the Dodgers will turn to Jack Flaherty.
No team in baseball history has come back in the World Series from an 0-3 deficit. Despite facing long odds, Torres said the team is always confident when Cole takes the mound.
“Gerrit is the best pitcher in the game,” Torres said. “We really believe in him. We really believe in what he is capable of doing. But we have to do the job like we did tonight so we don’t have to put all the pressure on him.”
That’s all, folks
The Yankees win Game 4 in an 11-4 blowout as their bats finally come alive, but the Dodgers still lead the World Series 3-1.
Game 5 is Wednesday.
Yanks up 11-4 after huge eighth
Aaron Judge singled home Juan Soto after the Gleyber Torres homer to give New York an 11-4 lead headed into the ninth.
All signs are pointing to a Game 5.
The Yankees just blew the game open
After Alex Verdugo scored Anthony Volpe on a fielder’s choice, Gleyber Torres hit a three-run homer to give the Yankees a 10-4 lead in the bottom of the eighth.
After scoring only seven runs combined in Games 1-3, New York’s bats have come alive in Game 4.
1-2-3 inning for Luke Weaver
Two strikeouts for Luke Weaver in the eighth, who retired the Dodgers in order.
The Yankees will take their 6-4 lead into the bottom of the eighth.
Yanks go down in order
Quick bottom of the seventh, as the Yankees were retired in only 12 pitches.
We head to eighth with New York up 6-4.
Dodgers strand one in the seventh
No runs for the Dodgers in the top of the seventh. Tommy Edman walked, but both Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts struck out while he was on base.
The Yanks still lead 6-4 as we head to the bottom of the inning.
Yanks add one to lead in the sixth
Austin Wells led off the bottom of the sixth with a solo shot to right field, giving the Yankees a 6-4 lead they’ll take to the seventh inning.
Shohei Ohtani's hometown cheers him on
The World Series is a global event, and no country is burning up with baseball fever more than Japan. Viewership numbers are hitting unprecedented levels with fans glued to TV sets at home, smartphones on the way to work, and screens set up in community centers. The obsession is setting records at the same rate as national hero Shohei Ohtani himself.
Here in Oshu, where Ohtani grew up, baseball is like a religion. The town was long famous for its beef and ironware; now it’s known for Ohtani. He played Little League and then honed his skills in high school long before the world learned that one of the greatest players the game would know was half a world away.
Now, with Ohtani in his first World Series along with star rookie Yoshinobu Yamamoto, it is a huge deal for a nation where baseball is as ingrained in the culture as it is across America. Sports stores here are packed with merchandise from shirts to hats to inflatable bats. Watch parties are being organized over Japanese breakfast to embrace the 13-hour time difference.
Yasuo Sakamoto, 74, and his wife, Keiko, 70, drove 90 minutes to Oshu’s city hall to see the game and maybe a big win for Ohtani.
“News about Ohtani is always good news,” he said, “If they win, it will be even brighter.”
1-2-3 inning for Clay Holmes
Dodgers go down in order in the top of the sixth.
Austin Wells, Alex Verdugo and Gleyber Torres are due up in the bottom of the inning.
It’s 5-4 Yankees.
Yanks strand two to end the fifth
The Yanks’ first two batters reached base, but a strikeout and two straight fly outs ended the inning with nobody coming home.
The Dodgers are hanging around. It’s a 5-4 game headed to the top of the sixth.
