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The New York Yankees suffered a heartbreaking loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 1 of the 2024 World Series.
The Yankees fell by the final score of 6-3 following a walk-off grand slam from Freddie Freeman.
MLB @MLB
IT’S GONE
IT’S GONE
IT’S GONE
IT’S GONE
FREDDIE FREEMAN #WALKOFF GRAND SLAM pic.twitter.com/LlVU1ZGyGx
New York couldn’t get on the board early, trailing 1-0 through the first five innings. However, Giancarlo Stanton continued his incredible postseason stretch with a two-run homer that traveled 412 feet in the top of the sixth.
MLB @MLB
GIANCARLO STANTON
DOES IT AGAIN
FOUR STRAIGHT GAMESARE YOU KIDDING?! pic.twitter.com/sSVXe5QMW3
The Dodgers tied the game due to a sacrifice fly by Mookie Betts in the bottom of the eighth, but the Yankees struck once again in the top of the 10th. Jazz Chisholm Jr. showcased his speed following a single, stealing second and third base before scoring on a fielder’s choice to give New York the lead once more.
New York Yankees @Yankees
Jazz comes home in the 10th 👊 pic.twitter.com/NBZ98adIls
Yankees manager Aaron Boone initially inserted Jake Cousins for the bottom of the 10th inning, but he was replaced by Nestor Cortes with runners on first and second to go along with one out.
Cortes struggled in his first appearance since Sept. 18, as Shohei Ohtani advanced the runners with a foul ball that was caught out of bounds. Mookie Betts was intentionally walked before Freeman delivered the game-ending homer.
Fans were perplexed by Boone’s decision-making.
FOX Sports: MLB @MLBONFOX
Aaron Boone’s reaction says it all 😬 pic.twitter.com/EUJCfA0Hwv
Gehrig Dieter @GehrigDieter
You bring Nestor in who hasn’t pitched in a month over Tim Hill who has been an absolute dawg in the playoffs. Bonehead Boone back at it again
Will Manso @WillManso
Aaron Boone turning to a guy who hasn’t pitched in weeks to face the heart of the Dodgers order with game one of the World Series on the line will never make sense. Ridiculous. New York media won’t have fun with that I’m sure.
Brian Rappaport @BRappy55
Tim Hill has been nails for you all postseason and you go to a guy who hasn’t pitched in weeks. That’s Aaron Boone. #Yankees
4 Train Savages @FourSavages
Aaron Boone decided to throw Nestor Cortes who hasn’t thrown a baseball in a month over Tim Hill who had been stellar throughout the entire playoffs
And people ask why fans don’t like him
Lucas Russo @LRusso24
The fact that Aaron Boone chose to have Nestor Cortes, a pitcher with almost no relief appearances who also hasn’t pitched in over a month, to face Ohtani, Betts and Freeman is exactly why the Yankees lost that game. Zero excuse to have him pitch there. None. #Yankees
Aaron Judge struggled at the plate, going 1-for-5 with three strikeouts. He also popped out with runners on first and second base in the top of the ninth inning.
After the Yankees appeared to be on the verge of taking a 1-0 series lead on the road, they’ll now attempt to avoid falling into a 2-0 series deficit in Game 2 on Saturday at 8:08 p.m. ET.