Freddie Freeman’s power surge continued in Game 3 of the World Series on Monday, where his two-run homer in the first inning silenced Yankee Stadium and helped the Dodgers secure a 4-2 victory over the Yankees. Following a solo shot in Game 2, Freeman’s first-inning blast in Game 3 gave the Dodgers an early lead, propelling them to a commanding 3-0 Series lead.
“It’s been a great start for us in these three games,” Freeman remarked. “But we have one more to go.”
Freeman’s impact on the Dodgers’ offense has been monumental. With his home run streak, he becomes just the third player in World Series history to homer in each of the first three games, joining Yankees legend Hank Bauer (1958) and Giants great Barry Bonds (2002). Including his time with the Braves, Freeman has now homered in five consecutive World Series games, tying Astros’ George Springer for the all-time record.
Freeman, hitting .333 with three home runs, seven RBIs, and a 1.635 OPS, has been unstoppable, even while managing a sprained right ankle sustained near the season’s end. The injury sidelined him in parts of the NLDS and NLCS, but Freeman has since battled through the pain, sparking the Dodgers’ offense. “We kept telling him, ‘We got you,’ through those series,” said Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy. “Now it’s Freddie saying, ‘I got you.’”
Freeman did endure a scare in Game 3, fouling a ball off his bruised ankle, but assured he’d be ready for Game 4. “I’ve got a bruise, but it’s OK,” he said, finishing the night 1-for-3 with a walk. “I’m seeing the ball well, and not missing mistakes. Let’s keep it going – we’ve got one more.”
The Dodgers, just one win from a title, owe much of their success to Freeman. In the first inning of Game 3, he capitalized on Yankees pitcher Clarke Schmidt’s cutter, sending it 355 feet into the right-field seats two batters after Shohei Ohtani’s walk. “We all know Freddie Freeman’s a great player,” said Yankees manager Aaron Boone. “It’s been tough, especially considering he’s hurt.”
Freeman’s World Series heroics began with his Game 1 walk-off grand slam, the first in Fall Classic history, drawing comparisons to Kirk Gibson’s 1988 homer under similar circumstances. Freeman has done it repeatedly this Series, putting him in line for a potential MVP award – sprained ankle and all.
“For a player like Freddie, he doesn’t need more to cement his legacy,” said Muncy. “But this has been a special run.”
