Yankees Stay Alive As Offense Breaks Out

 

Austin Wells watching his home run. @Yankees.

The Yankees, backed by big nights from Anthony Volpe and Austin Wells, rolled to an 11-4 win over the Dodgers in Game 4 on Tuesday night to stay alive in the World Series.

This game started just as Monday night's did for the Dodgers, with Freddie Freeman hitting a two-run home run in the top of the first inning.

The Dodgers starting pitcher for this "bullpen game" was Ben Casparius, and he got Gleyber Torres to pop one up along the first base line that Mookie Betts had a beat on, and as he reached up for it, a pair of Yankees fans snatched the ball out of his glove. Fan interference was called, so Torres was out.

Juan Soto and Aaron Judge then drew walks, but Casparius got Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Giancarlo Stanton to each ground out to end the threat.

Yankees starter Luis Gil worked around a leadoff double to Gavin Lux by getting Will Smith to pop up to second base and Tommy Edman lined into a double play.

In the bottom of the second, Anthony Volpe drew a one-out walk and stole second. Austin Wells followed with a double off the fence, but since Volpe had to stay near the bag, he didn't score. Alex Verdugo grounded out to bring Volpe in to make it 2-1 Dodgers. Torres then flew out to right field to end the frame.

After Los Angeles went 1-2-3 in the top of the third, the Yankees got to new Dodgers pitcher Daniel Hudson. 

After Soto struck out, Judge was hit by a pitch, then Chisholm lined one off the fence in right field, but he only got a single as Betts fired it back in. 

Chisholm then stole second base and Stanton drew a walk to load the bases. Rizzo popped up to short, which brought Anthony Volpe to the plate.

Nothing much has gone right for Volpe in this World Series, but he turned that on its head with this at-bat.

Volpe crushed one to left field for a grand slam, and suddenly the Yankees were up, 5-2. 

Gil kept it there until Smith opened the top of the fifth with a solo home run. He exited after walking Tommy Edman, and yielded to Tim Hill.

Shohei Ohtani greeted him with a single before Betts grounded into a force out. Then, Freeman grounded into a force out, which brought in Edman, and LA was now within one, at 5-4.

That was as close as they would get, as Clay Holmes pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings, and Wells hit a solo shot to put the Yankees back up two

Mark Leiter Jr. got the first two outs of the seventh before Luke Weaver struck out Betts with a runner on. 

Weaver stayed on for the top of the eighth, and retired the Dodgers 1-2-3 and notched a pair of strikeouts.

The Yankees blew it open in the bottom of the eighth against Brent Honeywell. Volpe got a one-out double, stole third base, and came in on a Verdugo fielder's choice. Gleyber Torres hit a three-run homer that made it 10-4, and Judge followed with an RBI single.

Game 5 will be Wednesday night, and it will be a battle of aces, as the Yankees' Gerrit Cole will face Jack Flaherty of the Dodgers.