Dodgers defeat Yankees to reach brink of World Series title

NEW YORK: Freddie Freeman homered for a record-tying third consecutive game and the Los Angeles Dodgers reached the brink of a World Series title by beating the New York Yankees 4-2 on Monday (Oct 28).

Freeman, who smashed a walk-off grand slam to win the opener in Los Angeles, crushed a two-run homer in the first inning and Walker Buehler threw five shutout innings allowing only two hits to spark a victory that leaves the Dodgers 3-0 up in the best-of-seven Major League Baseball (MLB) championship series.

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

The Dodgers can capture their first crown since 2020 by winning Game 4 at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday. The Yankees will head into that game knowing that no team has ever recovered from a 3-0 deficit to win the World Series.

Freeman matched Hank Bauer in 1958 and Barry Bonds in 2002 as the only players to homer in the first three games of a World Series.

The Dodgers first baseman also matched George Springer's record of homers in five consecutive World Series contests.

Freeman though was uninterested in personal milestones after the win.

"When it's all said and done I can look at that but the most important thing is one more win," Freeman said. "That's all I care about right now. I don't care how it happens. I just want to get one more win."

The Yankees have not been swept in a World Series since Cincinnati did it in 1976. The most recent World Series sweep was by San Francisco over Detroit in 2012.

The Dodgers are seeking their eighth World Series title while the Yankees, with a record 27 crowns, are chasing their first since 2009.

This is the 12th title showdown between two