Freeman on fire, as LA's lead looks unassailable

NEW YORK — Freddie Freeman homered for the third straight game and Walker Buehler pitched another World Series gem, as the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the New York Yankees 4-2 on Monday night for a 3-0 lead in the Fall Classic.

With superstar Shohei Ohtani playing despite a partially dislocated left shoulder, Los Angeles moved to within one victory of a surprising sweep in this much-hyped matchup between the traditional World Series powers.

Buehler and six relievers combined on a five-hitter for the Dodgers, on the cusp of their second championship in five years and the eighth in franchise history.

"Walker Buehler, he's been doing this his whole career in big games, big moments," Freeman said. "Steps up when you need him."

Teoscar Hernandez threw out Giancarlo Stanton at home plate with a pinpoint peg from left field. Mookie Betts and Kike Hernandez each delivered an RBI single, and the Dodgers chased Yankees starter Clarke Schmidt to a third-inning departure.

Freeman's two-run shot, just three batters in, gave him a home run in five consecutive World Series games dating to 2021 with Atlanta, matching a major league record set by George Springer with Houston.

"One more win. That's all I care about right now," Freeman said.

Looking much healthier after a sprained right ankle slowed him earlier this postseason, Freeman connected for the first game-ending grand slam in World Series history to win a drama-filled opener in Los Angeles.

Since then, it's been all Dodgers.

Game 4 is Tuesday night at Yankee Stadium. Down to three healthy starters, the Dodgers plan their fourth bullpen game of this postseason. Rookie right-hander Luis Gil takes the mound for New York.

The only team in major league history to overcome a 3-0 deficit in a best-of-seven postseason series was the Boston Red Sox against the Yankees in the 2004 American League Championship Series.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts helped spark that stunning comeback with a pivotal stolen base.

"Hopefully we can go be this amazing story and shock the world," New York manager Aaron Boone said. "But right now, it's about trying to get a lead, trying to grab a game, and force another one, and then on from there. But we've got to grab one first."

In the 11 previous World Series meetings between these old October rivals, the only sweep was by the Dodgers in 1963 behind Hall of Fame pitchers Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale.

The Yankees haven't been swept in a Fall Classic since the Cincinnati Reds demolished them in 1976.

Los Angeles, however, has won seven World Series matchups in a row against the Yankees dating to its 1981 crown.

This one marked the first Series game at Yankee Stadium since New York clinched its 27th title in 2009 against Philadelphia. A return home, however, didn't help slumping Aaron Judge and the toothless Bronx Bombers, held to four runs and nine hits in the past two games.

New York didn't score until Alex Verdugo's two-run homer off Michael Kopech with two outs at the bottom of the ninth inning. Kopech then retired Gleyber Torres on a grounder to end it.

Buehler allowed two hits in five innings, striking out five. His only previous win this year during an injury-interrupted season was May 18 against Cincinnati.

The two-time All-Star improved to 4-4 in 18 career postseason starts, including a 2-0 record with a 0.50 ERA in three World Series outings. He has surrendered one run and seven hits with 22 strikeouts over 18 innings in those assignments — Game 3s against Boston (2018), Tampa Bay (2020) and the Yankees.

"It's weird. For me, I think the playoffs, big games, that's always been the only thing I really cared about," Buehler said. "I was kind of awful all year. I think once you get to the playoffs, with the adrenaline, I think whatever fear I had about my elbow, or trying to throw a certain pitch, or whatever, goes away, because it's all now, it's all go. It's helped me, I think."

Despite the Yankees struggling at the plate during the two losses in Los Angeles, Boone decided against any major changes to the lineup.

He flip-flopped Anthony Volpe and Anthony Rizzo in the six and seven slots, and replaced slumping catcher Austin Wells with right-handed-hitting Jose Trevino at No 8 — even against a right-handed pitcher.

That was it.

"I considered a couple of things on the long flight home, but this is what I settled on," Boone said before the game.

New York players held a short meeting in the afternoon, and a recording from late Yankees public-address announcer Bob Sheppard introduced five-time World Series champion Derek Jeter when he threw out a ceremonial first pitch. Bronx-born rapper Fat Joe revved up the sold-out crowd of 49,368 with a pregame performance on the infield.

But, it was the Dodgers who started quickly.

Schmidt walked Ohtani on four pitches to begin the game. One out later, Freeman sent a 1-2 cutter 108 meters into the lower deck in right field for his 13th career postseason homer.

He joined Yankees outfielder Hank Bauer (1958) and Giants slugger Barry Bonds (2002) as the only players to go deep in the first three games of a World Series.

"When you come into a road park, you want to try to strike early and quiet the crowd, and we were able to do that in the first inning," Freeman said.

Ohtani finished 0 for 3 with that walk and was grazed on the foot by a pitch. He grimaced after several swings and clutched his collar with his left hand, even when taking a lead off first base to protect his ailing shoulder. But, he got through the game just fine.

"The pain has subsided, so I felt pretty good about it," Ohtani said through a translator. "I was told to wear a device that keeps my shoulder warm. So during the (pregame) ceremony and throughout the game, I was wearing that. The reason why I was holding onto myself when I was running was to make sure that I wouldn't use that arm if I were to slide."

No 9 batter Tommy Edman drew another four-pitch walk from Schmidt leading off the third and scored on Betts' bloop single. Kike Hernandez added an RBI single in the sixth.

Schmidt walked four over two innings and two thirds in his third postseason start. He lost his fifth consecutive decision, dating to a May 16 win at Minnesota.

New York nailed a runner at home plate when Edman attempted a safety squeeze in the fourth, but the Dodgers flashed some sensational defense to stomp out any Yankees momentum.

Betts made a diving grab in right field after Stanton doubled with one out in the fourth for the first hit off Buehler. Teoscar Hernandez then fired up all of his teammates with a perfect 94 mph throw to the plate on Volpe's single, cutting down Stanton to end the inning and preserve LA's 3-0 cushion.

Agencies via Xinhua