MVP → MVP → MVP '1.7061 trillion trio' That's why it's scary, Ohtani "Thanks to Freeman's home run, this joy..."
Oct 26, 2024
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The Dodgers won Game 1 of the World Series at Dodger Stadium on the 26th (Korea time) thanks to Freddie Freeman's walk-off grand slam in the bottom of the 10th inning.
The Dodgers took a chance with one out and runners on first and second bases with Gavin Lux's walk and Tommy Edman's infield hit in the 10th inning, trailing 2-3. Shohei Ohtani stepped down with a foul fly and Mookie Betts got four pitches on purpose, loading the bases with two outs. Freeman rolled up left-hander Nestor Cortes' 92.5-mile first-pitch low fastball to fire a bases-loaded single that went well over the right fence.
It was Freeman's first home run of the postseason, and most of all, he engraved the first walk-off grand slam in World Series history that began in 1903 and marked the 120th inning at Dodger Stadium.
1988 World Series comes to mind. The Dodgers won the first game of the World Series against the Oakland Athletics that year with a walk-off home run by pinch-hitter Kirk Gibson in the bottom of the ninth inning with two outs and a runner on second base, trailing 3-4. Gibson lightly pulled Dennis Eckersley's backdoor slider, the best finisher of his time, and turned it over to the right-hand stands with a line drive. I'm going to get the first gameJuss eventually won the World Series with a 4-1 record.
What is strikingly similar is that both Gibson and Freeman were injured ahead of the World Series. At the time, Gibson limped around the base after hitting a walk-off home run. During the postseason, he fought with hamstring and knee injuries.
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The similarities do not stop here. Both home runs fell to a similar point in the right stands, came two outs after the out count, and the start of the reverse was a walk. It is also the third time in the World Series that a home team is chasing has hit a walk-off home run from behind. In addition to Gibson in 1988 and Freeman in 2024, Toronto Blue Jays Joe Carter hit a walk-off three-run home run from Mitch Williams in the bottom of the ninth inning, trailing 5-6 in Game 6 of the World Series against the Philadelphia Phillies, leading to an 8-6 come-from-behind victory and a 4-2 victory.
Joe Davis, who was broadcasting FOX Sports, said "She's gone. Gibby, I'm meeting Freddie" cried out. It is a parody of the comment shouted by Dodgers broadcast legend Vin Scully when Gibson's home run hit in 1988. Scully encouraged Dodgers fans at the time, saying, `The impossible has happened in a season that doesn't seem to be true.'
Another 'community' that cannot be left out of the Dodgers' victory on this day is Ohtani. Ohtani, who remained hitless until his third at-bat, pulled a changeup in the middle of right-hander Tommy Kahnle's second pitch 87.1 miles after one out in the bottom of the eighth inning, and hit a superior double before advancing to third base thanks to an error by opposing shortstop Anthony Volpi. The ball flew at a launch angle of 19 degrees and 113.9 miles (183 kilometers) and hit right fielder Juan Soto's head and the top of the fence.
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In the end, it is no exaggeration to say that the game was jointly played by the Dodgers MVP trio. After tying the game with Ohtani's double in the bottom of the eighth inning and Betts' sacrifice fly, Ohtani's difficult foul fly in the bottom of the 10th inning forced Betts to get four intentional pitches, and Freeman hit a bases-loaded single to end the game. The total ransom of the three players alone amounts to 1.27 billion dollars (about 1.7061 trillion won). The reason why the Dodgers attracted them was the game that was clearly staged.
Ohtani was also thrilled. After the game "Thanks to the great home run, we won the first game in the best way to turn it around. The starting pitchers of both teams threw so well and played so well, including the pitchers. I hope we can play a good game tomorrow" he said.
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jhno@sportschosun.com
