Dodgers to face Yankees in Game 4 of World Series in New York

The Dodgers may win their second World Series Championship in five years when they face the New York Yankees for Game 4 Tuesday evening at Yankee Stadium. 

The Dodgers took a 3-0 lead in the World Series Monday night with a 4-2 victory in Game 3 of the best-of-seven series. Walker Buehler pitched five scoreless innings, while Freddie Freeman hit a two-run home run in the first inning of the game. 

Historically, all 24 teams that have taken a 3-0 lead in the World Series have gone on to win the title. Of those, 21 teams won the World Series in Game 4. The three that didn’t win were the Baltimore Orioles in 1970 against the Cincinnati Reds; the Yankees in 1937 against the New York Giants; and Philadelphia Athletics in 1910 against the Chicago Cubs. However, all three teams went on to win Game 5. 

Buehler allowed two hits over the course of five innings, struck out five, and walked two. He became the first pitcher with three or more World Series outings of five innings or more with four or fewer baserunners allowed, according to a Major League Baseball researcher. Buehler has accomplished this in his first three World Series appearances. 

Freeman hit another home run 355 feet over the right field fence during Game 3 from Yankee starter Clarke Schmidt. This is Freeman’s third home run in the Series and the fifth consecutive Series game he has homered since 2021. Freeman’s home run drove in Shohei Ohtani, who drew a four-pitch leadoff walk. 

Ohtani suffered an injury to his left shoulder during Game 2 when he attempted to steal second base in the seventh inning. The Dodgers won with a score of 4-2. 

The Yankees ended the Dodgers’ bid for a shutout with two outs in the ninth inning when Alex Verdugo hit a two-run homer off Michael Kopech. 

During Game 4, rookie right-hander Luis Gil will pitch for the Yankees in his second postseason start in his career. Gil’s 15 victories are tied for seventh in MLB. He was selected as the American League Pitcher of the Month and Rookie of the Month for May.

ESPN’s matchup predictor gives the Yankees a 53.9% chance of winning and the Dodgers a 46.1% chance. 

The Dodgers previously beat the Yankees in six games in the 1981 World Series. Fernando Valenzuela, a former pitcher who was recently honored by the Dodgers after he passed away, helped lead the team to victory during the Series. 

The game is scheduled to start at 5:08 p.m. PT and will be televised by Fox.