Dodgers Dominate Yankees

Eight days ago, Dave Roberts stood on a temporary stage at Dodger Stadium, celebrating the National League pennant. After his voice had nearly gone hoarse, he roused the crowd one last time, asking, “You guys want a parade in Los Angeles?” Now, the Los Angeles Dodgers are only one win away from the World Series title after defeating the New York Yankees 4-2 in Game 3 on Monday night. This potential championship win would be a meaningful difference from the 2020 title, which took place under COVID-19 restrictions.

The Dodgers set the tone early in Game 3 of the 2024 World Series as Freddie Freeman launched a two-run homer in the first inning. Pitcher Walker Buehler kept the Yankees at bay, allowing only two hits over five scoreless innings. Yankees starter Clarke Schmidt couldn’t recover after Freeman’s home run, exiting before finishing the third inning. The Dodgers bullpen held steady after Buehler’s exit, securing the game and leaving the Dodgers within reach of their ultimate goal.

Freddie Freeman praised the start to the series, saying, “We’ve got one more to go.” After their decisive Game 3 victory, the Dodgers have built a commanding 3-0 lead. History strongly favors them: no team has ever come back from a 3-0 deficit in the World Series.

The Yankees now face a grim outlook, with their season in the hands of rookie pitcher Luis Gil in Game 4. Aaron Judge, the likely MVP and captain of the Yankees, struggled, going hitless in three at-bats as the Yankees left eight runners stranded. Yankees manager Aaron Boone remains hopeful, saying, “Right now, it’s about trying to get a lead, trying to grab a game and force another one. But we’ve got to grab one first.”

Two main questions loomed over Game 3: Would Shohei Ohtani’s shoulder injury heal in time? And would Judge’s bat finally awaken? Late in Game 2, Ohtani injured his shoulder while stealing second base, leading to concerns about his ability to play. Although tests showed no structural damage, Ohtani assured the team he would play if he could tolerate the pain. He wore a heating pad over his shoulder during pre-game and opted for a low-impact approach, walking on four pitches in his first plate appearance and refraining from sliding.

Meanwhile, Aaron Judge received enthusiastic cheers from the home crowd chanting “M-V-P.” However, his struggles have concerned Yankees fans, as he is batting only .140 with three extra-base hits in October.

With the Dodgers just one win away, Dodger Stadium is buzzing with anticipation for a potential celebration.