World Series News: Yankees Avoid Sweep, Rout Dodgers in Game 4

Anthony Volpe’s grand slam in the third inning, and a five-run rally in the eighth inning, led the New York Yankees to an 11-4 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday in Game 4 of the 2024 World Series.

The lopsided win was the Yankees’ first in the best-of-seven series, and allowed the home team to stave off elimination. The Dodgers still lead the series 3-1. Game 5 is Wednesday at Yankee Stadium.

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Freddie Freeman got the Dodgers off to a familiar lead by hitting a two-run home run — his fourth in the World Series — in the first inning. No player had ever homered in each of the first four games of a World Series, or hit one in each of the last six World Series games in which he’s appeared.

But the Yankees weren’t content to let Freeman collect the World Series MVP award Tuesday. Veteran reliever Daniel Hudson relieved Dodgers starter Ben Casparius in the third inning of a planned bullpen game and allowed the grand slam to Volpe, who finished 2 for 3 and scored three runs.

Austin Wells and Gleyber Torres also hit home runs for the Yankees, who used five relief pitchers to toss the final five scoreless innings in relief of starting pitcher Luis Gil.

Gil allowed five hits and four runs in the game’s first four innings, including the home runs by Freeman and Dodgers catcher Will Smith. But the relievers were lights-out, limiting the Dodgers to only one hit while striking out seven batters to turn a close game into a rout.

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Los Angeles went 1 for 7 with runners in scoring position, while New York went 4 for 15.

What happened to the fans who interfered with Mookie Betts?

An unusual scene broke out along the right-field line in the bottom of the first inning, when two fans sitting in the front row of seats in foul territory interfered with Dodgers right fielder Mookie Betts’ attempt to catch a fly ball.

After Betts secured the ball in his glove, one fan wearing a Yankees jersey tried to pry the ball out while another grabbed Betts’ hand as he attempted to clasp it over his glove.

The Dodgers were awarded the out by virtue of the fan interference call. According to Rob Reinhart of the New York World Herald, security removed the fans from their seats after the incident.

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