After tying a World Series record by homering in five straight games Monday night, Freddie Freeman grinned and said, “Let’s hopefully make it six,” he said.
The Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman delivered the next night in Game 4 against the New York Yankees. In the first inning, Freeman launched a changeup ball off of pitcher Luis Gil.
In Game 3, Freeman put Los Angeles ahead 15 pitches into the game with a two-run homer off Clarke Schmidt, and the Dodgers beat the Yankees 4-2 to take a 3-0 World Series lead.
He matched the mark set when George Springer homered in Games 4 through 7 in 2017 as the Houston Astros beat the Dodgers for the title, then hit another in the 2019 opener against Washington.
Freeman homered in Atlanta’s last two games against Houston in the 2021 World Series, and he has connected in all four games of this one, breaking his tie with Springer and setting a new record. He became the first player to homer in the first four games of a World Series.
Freeman sprained his right ankle on Sept. 26 against San Diego while trying to avoid a tag at first base by San Diego’s Luis Arráez and missed the Dodgers’ last three regular-season games. He didn’t have any RBIs in the NL Division Series against San Diego and one in the NL Championship Series against the Mets.
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Freeman didn’t play in the NLCS finale against the Mets and had six days off entering the World Series, allowing time for the ankle to get better.
“We went to Freddie several times and said, ‘Hey we got you the last two series,'” Dodgers teammate Max Muncy said. “This is Freddie telling us, ‘Hey, I got you this time.'”
An eight-time All-Star and the 2020 NL MVP, the 35-year-old Freeman has nine RBIs in the Series.
His game-ending, 10th-inning grand slam in Game 1 on Friday night, which gave the Dodgers a 6-3 win, was his first home run since Sept. 16. He followed Teoscar Hernández for back-to-back homers in the third inning of Game 2.
“Not surprised he’s performing at this level,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said after Game 3. “He’s been very good in the postseason throughout his career.”
Freeman entered Tuesday night hitting .333 in the Series. He is one win from adding a second World Series title after the one he earned with Atlanta in 2021.
“I really just want to hoist that trophy,” he said Monday. “I don’t care how that happens. I don’t care if I go 0-for-the-next-70 with 70 strikeouts. As long as we win, that’s all I care about.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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