Dodgers’ Historic Comeback Leads to 2024 World Series Champions

The Los Angeles Dodgers (98-64) are the 2024 World Series Champions after defeating the New York Yankees (94-68) in Yankee Stadium.

THE @DODGERS HAVE CAPTURED THEIR 8TH #WORLDSERIES TITLE! #CHAMPS pic.twitter.com/4qqcyHRZWW

— MLB (@MLB) October 31, 2024

It was a World Series matchup between two of baseball’s most storied franchises, and it did not disappoint. Well, unless you’re a Yankees fan.

This was the 12th time the Yankees and Dodgers met in the World Series. This world series win marks the Dodgers’ eighth world championship. They are now tied fifth on the all-time World Series titles list with the San Francisco Giants.

Key Innings

The deciding inning of the series was the fifth. The Dodgers took advantage of three Yankees’ miscues to erase a five-run, fifth-inning deficit.

Aaron Judge and Jazz Chisholm Jr. hit back-to-back home runs in the first inning for the Yankees. Alex Verdugo singled to right as Anthony Volpe ran in to tally a run in the second. In the third, Giancarlo Stanton homered 385-feet to the right. The Yankees were up 5-0.

The Cap Connects in the #WorldSeries pic.twitter.com/jMOVxWFX7V

— New York Yankees (@Yankees) October 31, 2024

Then came the fifth inning.

The Yankees made three huge fielding mistakes at the top of the inning that cost them the World Series.

Tommy Edman lined a ball to center field that was dropped by Judge. Then Will Smith hit a ground ball to short and Volpe’s throw bounced to Chisholm at third base where he couldn’t hold on to it. Bases were loaded.

Then Mookie Betts hit what should have been an inning-ending grounder to first base. However, miscommunication between pitcher Garrit Cole and first baseman Anthony Rizzo led to Betts reaching the base safely. The Dodgers were on the board and there was no stopping them after that.

Freeman came to the plate and hit a two-run single with the bases still loaded.

The fifth ended and game was tied, 5-5.

The Dodgers struck gold again in the eighth. Gavin Lux and Betts had sacrifice flies to put the Dodgers up by 7-6. And that was the game.

MOOKIE BETTS GIVES THE @DODGERS THE LEAD IN GAME 5! #WorldSeries pic.twitter.com/BoM2KW0608

— MLB (@MLB) October 31, 2024

Leading up to Game 5

After a dominant 11-4 win over the Dodgers to stay alive in Game 4, the Yankees avoided the series sweep which would have been their first losing series sweep since 1976. Volpe’s third-inning grand slam gave the Yankees all the momentum they needed to force a Game 5. Having the momentum and heading back to Yankee Stadium? What more could they ask for.

Grand Slam courtesy of Anthony Volpe. pic.twitter.com/tHOmVu9DLJ

— New York Yankees (@Yankees) October 30, 2024

Then falling behind in Game 5, Dodger fans began to think that maybe this series was heading back to Los Angeles.

The star-studded Dodgers crushed that dream as they came back to win in Yankee Stadium.

The starting pitching for the Dodgers in the playoffs was spectacular. During the season, the Dodgers starting pitching rotation was plagued with injuries. Tylor Glasnow, Clayton Kershaw and Gavin Stone were all out of the playoff rotation. However, Jack Flaherty, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Walker Buehler were dominant and had a large part in shutting down the Yankee offense.

MVP

Freeman was selected as the Most Valuable Player of the World Series and it was well deserved. Freeman hit a two-run single to tie the Series record of 12 RBI which was set by Bobby Richardson over second games in 1960.

MVP! MVP! MVP! pic.twitter.com/YrrN6lqkaF

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 31, 2024

This series began with Freeman hitting a game-ending grand slam with two outs in the 10th inning to give the Dodgers a 6-3 victory in game one.

The Dodgers accept their trophy in a pretty empty Yankee Stadium with a couple thousand Dodgers fans remaining.