LOS ANGELES — Sport 1 of the 2024 World Collection delivered in a giant method, giving us an prompt traditional.
This was the third straight yr that Sport 1 of the World Collection went to extras. Earlier than final yr, it had by no means even occurred in back-to-back World Collection Sport 1s.
Freddie Freeman’s walk-off grand slam despatched the Dodgers residence proud of a win harking back to 1988 in additional methods than one. The sport started at 5:11 p.m. PT and was 3 hours and 27 minutes — over at 8:38. 1988 Sport 1 had a 5:35 p.m. begin and three:04 time of sport — over at 8:39.
Right here’s a take a look at 10 stats and info from an epic Sport 1.
• Freeman’s grand slam was the third walk-off residence run whereas trailing in World Collection historical past. The opposite two are homers that followers would acknowledge by identify alone: Joe Carter’s, in 1993 Sport 6 for the Blue Jays in opposition to the Phillies, and Kirk Gibson’s, in 1988 Sport 1 for the Dodgers in opposition to the A’s.
• The similarities with Gibson’s are exceptional — a hobbled celebrity in Sport 1 at Dodger Stadium. In reality, his and Freeman’s are the one walk-off homers in World Collection historical past the place the workforce was right down to its remaining out. The one different such homer in any postseason spherical was by Houston’s Yordan Alvarez within the 2022 American League Division Collection Sport 1.
• It was the primary walk-off grand slam in World Collection historical past and the second within the postseason, becoming a member of the Rangers’ Nelson Cruz within the 2011 AL Championship Collection Sport 2. The slam was the fifth of the postseason general, tying ‘21 and 1998 for essentially the most in a single postseason. The Dodgers are the 14th workforce with a number of grand slams in a single postseason, and they’re one shy of tying the 2021 Purple Sox and 1998 Braves at three for essentially the most.
• The Dodgers turned the tenth workforce to win a World Collection Sport 1 in walk-off trend. They joined the 2023 Rangers, ‘15 Royals, ‘00 Yankees, 1988 Dodgers, 1977 Yankees, 1958 Braves, 1954 Giants, 1949 Yankees and 1939 Yankees. Eight of the 9 earlier groups went on to win the collection, with the Braves being the one loss.
• To not be misplaced among the many walk-off heroics, Freeman additionally had a first-inning triple, turning into the primary participant with a stolen base and a triple in a single postseason at age 35 or older since Mark Ellis in 2013, additionally for the Dodgers. Freeman is the third with a grand slam and a triple in a postseason sport, becoming a member of the Rockies’ Kaz Matsui within the ‘07 Nationwide League Division Collection Sport 2 and Cleveland’s Elmer Smith within the 1920 World Collection Sport 5.
• Kiké Hernández added a triple, too, making the Dodgers the primary workforce with two triples in a Fall Traditional sport for the reason that Yankees in 2000 Sport 4. They weren’t simply any two triples — they had been the primary two hits of the collection for the Dodgers. Los Angeles is the second workforce to triple for its first two hits of a World Collection, becoming a member of the 1953 Yankees, from Hank Bauer and Billy Martin, in line with the Elias Sports activities Bureau.
• Giancarlo Stanton made his mark earlier within the sport with a two-run homer, his fourth straight sport going yard. He’s the primary participant in postseason historical past with a number of streaks of homering in not less than 4 straight video games. Stanton is the third to hit not less than six residence runs in a number of postseasons, becoming a member of Corey Seager and Cruz.
• After we say “made his mark,” we actually imply it. The 116.6 mph exit velocity on Stanton’s homer made it the hardest-hit batted ball within the World Collection underneath Statcast (2015). And every of his final 5 hits have been residence runs, tied with himself in ‘20 and the Pirates’ Bob Robertson in 1971 for the longest such streak in a single postseason, per Elias.
• Jazz Chisholm Jr.’s three stolen bases tied the World Collection document, with 2016 Sport 5 Rajai Davis (Cleveland), 2008 Sport 3 B.J. Upton (Rays), 1968 Sport 3 Lou Brock (Cardinals), 1967 Sport 7 Brock, 1965 Sport 5 Willie Davis (Dodgers) and 1909 Sport 3 Honus Wagner (Pirates). Two of Chisholm’s steals got here within the tenth inning, making him the second participant with a number of stolen bases in a World Collection additional inning, together with the Cubs’ Jimmy Slagle in 1907 Sport 1.
• Birthdays are necessary. Juan Soto turned the primary participant with a birthday hit within the World Collection for the reason that Royals’ Eric Hosmer in 2014 Sport 3. He’s the second with a success and stroll in a World Collection birthday sport, becoming a member of the Cardinals’ Keith Hernandez in 1982 Sport 7.