Dodgers beat Yankees to hold commanding 3-0 series lead in Fall Classic
NEW YORK (KTTV) - The Los Angeles Dodgers are now one win away from winning the World Series.
The Dodgers held off the New York Yankees 4-2 in Game 3 of the Fall Classic. Monday's win extends the Dodgers' series lead to 3-0 in the best-of-7 series.
The win came in spite of the fact that Shohei Ohtani is dealing with a left shoulder injury and Freddie Freeman, who blasted a 2-run home run in the first inning to put the Dodgers on board, had been nursing an ankle injury all postseason.
Ohtani, who entered the game with a sling on his left arm underneath his jacket during the national anthem, finished the game 0 for 3 at the plate, but scored a run on a walk from Freeman's first-inning home run. He reached base for the second time after being hit by a pitch in the ninth inning.
Two-time all-star Walker Buehler continues to deliver in the biggest games. Buehler, who had a rough recovery from his 2022 Tommy John surgery in the 2024 regular season, pitched five scoreless innings to keep the Yankee bats at bay. The Dodgers bullpen was an out away from shutting out the Yankees in the World Series for the first time since 2003, but Michael Kopech gave up a two-run homer to Alex Verdugo in the bottom of the ninth.
The Boys in Blue have a chance to complete a four-game sweep on Tuesday for Game 4. The Dodgers could hold up the Commissioner's Trophy for the second time since 2020, and would be holding their first World Series parade since 1988.
SERIES SCHEDULE
- GAME 1: Dodgers 6, Yankees 3. Final/10th
- GAME 2: Dodgers 4, Yankees 2. Final
- GAME 3: Dodgers 4, Yankees 2. Final
- GAME 4: at New York Yankees on Tuesday, Oct. 29. 5:08 p.m. PT. FOX
- GAME 5*: at New York Yankees on Wednesday, Oct. 30. 5:08 p.m. PT. FOX
- GAME 6*: HOME on Friday, Nov. 1. 5:08 p.m. PT. FOX
- GAME 7*: HOME on Saturday, Nov. 2. 5:08 p.m. PT. FOX
*=if necessary
HOW THEY GOT HERE
The Dodgers captured the National League pennant after beating the New York Mets in six games in the championship series. Prior that, the Dodgers took down west division rivals San Diego Padres in the NLDS in a winner-take-all Game 5.
The Boys in Blue captured home field advantage for the postseason, including the World Series, after finishing the 2024 regular season with 98-64.
The Yankees became American League champions after taking down the Cleveland Guardians in five games in the championship series. Before the ALCS, the Bronx Bombers took down the Kansas City Royals 3-1 in the best-of-5 series.
The Yankees are on the road to start the Fall Classic after finishing second to the Dodgers in the overall regular-season record with 94-68.
This story was reported from Los Angeles.