The New York Yankees and Aaron Boone dropped a nail-biting Game 1 of the 2024 World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers in a dramatic finish at Dodger Stadium. Despite holding a lead over the Dodgers through one inning, the Yankees were ultimately bested by a walk-off grand slam from Freddie Freeman in the 10th inning, resulting in a 6-3 victory for Los Angeles.
The Yankees looked strong early on, with ace Gerrit Cole setting the tone on the mound. While the Dodgers scored first, New York answered back in the sixth inning, scoring two runs to take a slim lead. That advantage held until the bottom of the eighth, when Dodgers star Mookie Betts hit a sacrifice fly, allowing Shohei Ohtani to score the tying run and send the game to extra innings.
Manager Aaron Boone made a key decision to bring in left-hander Nestor Cortes, who hadn’t pitched in over a month due to an elbow injury. Boone was optimistic about Cortes’ ability to close out the game but acknowledged it was a tough call after such a long break for the pitcher. “I liked the matchup with Nestor in that moment,” Boone said in the postgame press conference. Reflecting on the loss, he added, “We’ll be ready to roll. We already talked about it, we’re good.” Boone’s confidence suggests the Yankees are preparing to rebound in Game 2.
Game 2 is set to take place at Dodger Stadium, and Boone’s Yankees are looking to regroup and come back strong. Despite the Game 1 loss, Boone remains confident in his team’s resilience as they prepare to even the score.
Yankees’ Pitcher for Game 2
The Game 2 pitching strategy is set, with Aaron Boone turning to Carlos Rodon in hopes of securing a road victory. Rodon enters with a 2024 postseason record of 1-1 and a 4.40 ERA. Recently, he expressed confidence about facing the Dodgers’ lineup, asserting, “I’m a big leaguer, too.”
Ahead of Game 2, Rodon acknowledged the strength of the Dodgers’ hitters but emphasized that the Yankees have a formidable lineup as well. Reflecting on his journey, he also didn’t shy away from mentioning the struggles he faced last season.