The Los Angeles Dodgers secured their eighth World Series title on Wednesday night at Yankee Stadium, capping off a remarkable season with a 7-6 victory in Game 5 against the New York Yankees. After finishing the regular season with 98 wins and an impressive 11 postseason victories in 16 games, the Dodgers’ triumph was both expected and surprising.
In a dramatic turn, the Dodgers overcame a five-run deficit while facing Yankees ace Gerrit Cole. They rallied in the fifth inning to tie the game, then added two more runs in the eighth to take the lead for good. Despite a bullpen stretched thin, they held on for the win, marking their first World Series title since 2020 and their first in a full season since 1988.
World Series MVP Freddie Freeman reflected on the challenges the team faced throughout the year, saying, “It feels like we encountered every obstacle possible. Overcoming that as a team is truly special. Winning a championship is what we strive for every spring training, and it’s the toughest achievement in sports.”
This title echoes memories of past triumphs, including Kirk Gibson’s famous Game 1 home run that secured a win. Similarly, Freeman became the walk-off hero this year, hitting a grand slam in the 10th inning of Game 1. His performance helped the Dodgers dominate the Yankees, winning the first three games of the series.
The Yankees fought back in Game 4 and took an early 5-0 lead in Game 5, but two Dodgers rallies—one sparked by three Yankee errors—turned the tide. Both rallies began with seemingly harmless singles from Kiké Hernandez. Unlike the dramatic moments of past legends, this comeback featured eighth-inning sacrifice flies from Gavin Lux and Mookie Betts, which flipped a 6-5 deficit into a 7-6 lead.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone expressed his sorrow over the outcome, stating, “I’m heartbroken, and I feel for the players who invested so much. The ending is always tough.”
The bullpen delivered a remarkable performance, stepping up for starter Jack Flaherty and recording 23 outs of near-perfect relief. The only blemishes in the final 7 ⅔ innings were a home run and a sacrifice fly by Giancarlo Stanton.
Blake Treinen, who secured the final out of the sixth inning, tossed a perfect seventh before stranding two runners in the eighth by striking out Anthony Rizzo on his 42nd pitch.
Next up was right-hander Walker Buehler, who had won Game 3 and was brought in on one day’s rest. He efficiently dispatched the bottom of the Yankees’ lineup to finish the game, becoming the eighth pitcher to take the mound on the night the Dodgers claimed their championship once more.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts expressed his mixed emotions about the game, saying, “There were definitely a lot of feelings from how it began to how it ended. I’m incredibly grateful to be in this position, and I’m proud of what our guys accomplished—their resilience and determination were remarkable.”
2024 World Series MVP: Freddie Freeman, without a doubt
NEW YORK — After the Los Angeles Dodgers secured their championship on Wednesday night, Freddie Freeman raised the World Series MVP trophy high above his head, letting his emotions pour out as he reflected on the significance of the moment.
Throughout the five-game series, Freeman was a standout, hitting a home run in each of the first four games and setting a franchise record with 12 RBIs in the World Series. “This is everything,” he said.
Few people, aside from his family, can truly understand the frustrations, anxieties, and fears he faced during the season, which ultimately led to achieving baseball’s highest honor.
LA Dodgers parade 2024
Following the game, the Dodgers announced that their long-anticipated championship parade will be held on Friday in Los Angeles.