Dodgers-Yankees World Series Game 4 stats, fun facts

The Yankees are the first team to force a Game 5 when down 3-0 in a World Series since the Reds in 1970 against the Orioles. There had been nine sweeps since.

Of the 41 teams to fall behind 3-0 in a best-of-seven postseason series, the Yankees are only the 10th to even avoid a sweep. Of the previous nine to do so, four managed to force a Game 6 and two forced a Game 7, although none of those occurred in the World Series.

Here’s a look at 11 stats and facts from Game 4.

• This was The Anthony Volpe Game. After being visibly upset with himself for not scoring on Austin Wells’ double in the second, he got a chance at redemption in the third — as the game so often provides. He delivered the ninth World Series grand slam in Yankees history — seven more than any other team and the sixth MLB-wide this postseason — setting a record for a single playoffs.

• Volpe added an eighth-inning double to spark a five-run frame, and had two stolen bases as well. Volpe became the second player with multiple extra-base hits and stolen bases in a World Series game, joining Eddie Collins, who did so twice in 1910.

• Volpe became the first Yankee with a grand slam and multiple stolen bases in a game, regular season or postseason, since Mickey Mantle on Aug. 19, 1962. He’s the second in postseason history to do so, joining Shane Victorino in Game 2 of the 2008 NLDS.

• With Freddie Freeman’s walk-off grand slam in Game 1, this — the 120th World Series — is just the fourth with multiple grand slams. It also happened in 1987 from Kent Hrbek and Dan Gladden, in 1964 from Ken Boyer and Joe Pepitone and in 1956 from Yogi Berra and Bill “Moose” Skowron. 2024 and 1964 are the only times each team hit one.

• Wells homered in the sixth inning, becoming the fifth rookie with a World Series home run as catcher, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. He joined Buster Posey in 2010 Game 4, Rod Barajas in 2001 Game 5, Bill DeLancey in 1934 Game 5 and Wally Schang in 1913 Game 3, which was the first homer by any catcher in Fall Classic history.

• Along with Will Smith’s in the fifth, this was the fifth World Series game with homers from multiple catchers. The others were 2019 Game 2 (Kurt Suzuki, Martín Maldonado), 1977 Game 5 (Steve Yeager, Thurman Munson), 1975 Game 3 (Carlton Fisk, Johnny Bench) and 1948 Game 5 (Jim Hegan, Bill Salkeld).

• 11 runs were the Yankees’ most in a World Series game since 1978 Game 5 (12). They played 48 World Series games in between. Only 10 MLB franchises have even played 48 World Series games total. It was also the second-most runs in a game facing elimination in Yankees postseason history. They scored 12 in Game 6 in 1960.

• Freddie Freeman entered having homered in each game of the series and wasted no time adding Game 4 to the list again, going yard in the first. He became the first player to homer in Games 1, 2, 3 and 4 of a World Series. The only other player to homer in four straight games within a single World Series is George Springer, in 2017 Games 4-7.

• Freeman has now homered in six consecutive World Series games, dating back to 2021 with the Braves. That’s the longest streak in the Fall Classic, breaking a tie with Springer. Freeman has homered in his last four games, breaking a tie with 1985 Bill Madlock for the longest streak in Dodgers postseason history.

• He now has six World Series homers in 10 games. That’s tied with Springer for second most in a player’s first nine career World Series games, behind only Chase Utley’s seven.

• Freeman has 10 RBIs this series, passing Gil Hodges (1956) and Duke Snider (1952) for most RBIs in a World Series in Dodgers history (RBI official since 1920).
Snider and Hodges each had eight in seven games. This was Game 4. Freeman’s 10 RBIs are also the most in the first four games of a World Series, ahead of Tony Fernandez (1993), Bobby Richardson (1960) and Lou Gehrig (1928), who each had nine. Richardson’s 12 total that year is the record for a single World Series.