LOS ANGELES — Sport 1 of the 2024 World Sequence delivered in a giant means, giving us an on the spot traditional.
This was the third straight yr that Sport 1 of the World Sequence went to extras. Earlier than final yr, it had by no means even occurred in back-to-back World Sequence Sport 1s.
Freddie Freeman’s walk-off grand slam despatched the Dodgers dwelling proud of a win paying homage to 1988 in additional methods than one. The sport started at 5:11 p.m. PT and was 3 hours and 27 minutes — over at 8:38. 1988 Sport 1 had a 5:35 p.m. begin and three:04 time of recreation — over at 8:39.
Right here’s a take a look at 10 stats and information from an epic Sport 1.
• Freeman’s grand slam was the third walk-off dwelling run whereas trailing in World Sequence historical past. The opposite two are homers that followers would acknowledge by identify alone: Joe Carter’s, in 1993 Sport 6 for the Blue Jays towards the Phillies, and Kirk Gibson’s, in 1988 Sport 1 for the Dodgers towards the A’s.
• The similarities with Gibson’s are outstanding — a hobbled famous person in Sport 1 at Dodger Stadium. The truth is, his and Freeman’s are the one walk-off homers in World Sequence historical past the place the staff was all the way down to its remaining out. The one different such homer in any postseason spherical was by Houston’s Yordan Alvarez within the 2022 American League Division Sequence Sport 1.
• It was the primary walk-off grand slam in World Sequence historical past and the second within the postseason, becoming a member of the Rangers’ Nelson Cruz within the 2011 AL Championship Sequence Sport 2. The slam was the fifth of the postseason general, tying ‘21 and 1998 for probably the most in a single postseason. The Dodgers are the 14th staff with a number of grand slams in a single postseason, and they’re one shy of tying the 2021 Crimson Sox and 1998 Braves at three for probably the most.
• The Dodgers turned the tenth staff to win a World Sequence Sport 1 in walk-off vogue. They joined the 2023 Rangers, ‘15 Royals, ‘00 Yankees, 1988 Dodgers, 1977 Yankees, 1958 Braves, 1954 Giants, 1949 Yankees and 1939 Yankees. Eight of the 9 earlier groups went on to win the collection, with the Braves being the one loss.
• To not be misplaced among the many walk-off heroics, Freeman additionally had a first-inning triple, changing into the primary participant with a stolen base and a triple in a single postseason at age 35 or older since Mark Ellis in 2013, additionally for the Dodgers. Freeman is the third with a grand slam and a triple in a postseason recreation, becoming a member of the Rockies’ Kaz Matsui within the ‘07 Nationwide League Division Sequence Sport 2 and Cleveland’s Elmer Smith within the 1920 World Sequence Sport 5.
• Kiké Hernández added a triple, too, making the Dodgers the primary staff with two triples in a Fall Basic recreation because the Yankees in 2000 Sport 4. They weren’t simply any two triples — they had been the primary two hits of the collection for the Dodgers. Los Angeles is the second staff to triple for its first two hits of a World Sequence, becoming a member of the 1953 Yankees, from Hank Bauer and Billy Martin, in accordance with the Elias Sports activities Bureau.
• Giancarlo Stanton made his mark earlier within the recreation with a two-run homer, his fourth straight recreation going yard. He’s the primary participant in postseason historical past with a number of streaks of homering in not less than 4 straight video games. Stanton is the third to hit not less than six dwelling runs in a number of postseasons, becoming a member of Corey Seager and Cruz.
• After we say “made his mark,” we actually imply it. The 116.6 mph exit velocity on Stanton’s homer made it the hardest-hit batted ball within the World Sequence underneath Statcast (2015). And every of his final 5 hits have been dwelling runs, tied with himself in ‘20 and the Pirates’ Bob Robertson in 1971 for the longest such streak in a single postseason, per Elias.
• Jazz Chisholm Jr.’s three stolen bases tied the World Sequence file, with 2016 Sport 5 Rajai Davis (Cleveland), 2008 Sport 3 B.J. Upton (Rays), 1968 Sport 3 Lou Brock (Cardinals), 1967 Sport 7 Brock, 1965 Sport 5 Willie Davis (Dodgers) and 1909 Sport 3 Honus Wagner (Pirates). Two of Chisholm’s steals got here within the tenth inning, making him the second participant with a number of stolen bases in a World Sequence additional inning, together with the Cubs’ Jimmy Slagle in 1907 Sport 1.
• Birthdays are necessary. Juan Soto turned the primary participant with a birthday hit within the World Sequence because the Royals’ Eric Hosmer in 2014 Sport 3. He’s the second with a success and stroll in a World Sequence birthday recreation, becoming a member of the Cardinals’ Keith Hernandez in 1982 Sport 7.
