Yankees Take Game 4
The Yankees won Game 4 of the 120th World Series, 11-4, behind a trio of home runs including a grand slam from Anthony Volpe, a solo blast from Austin Wells and a three-run shot from Gleyber Torres. The Yankees brought the series back to 3-1, marking the third time that they have trailed 3-1 in the World Series, joining: 1958 against Milwaukee (4-3 series win); and 1942 against St. Louis (4-1 series loss).
The only club to ever climb out of a 3-0 hole in a best-of-seven series is the 2004 Red Sox, who won Games 4, 5, 6 and 7 of the 2004 ALCS against the Yankees en route to winning the World Series. There has not been a sweep in 12 consecutive World Series, with the last sweep coming by the Giants in the 2012 World Series over the Tigers. 12 consecutive World Series without a sweep is tied for the longest stretch in World Series history, behind a 12-year streak from 1977-1988 which saw no teams record a World Series sweep.
The Dodgers hold a 3-1 lead in the World Series for the third time after previously sitting at 3-1 in 1988 against Oakland (4-1 series win); and 1959 against Chicago (4-2 series win). Teams with a 3-0 series lead have won the World Series in Game 4 21 times, with the four exceptions being the Dodgers in 2024 against the Yankees; the Orioles in 1970 against the Reds; the Yankees in 1937 against the Giants; and the Athletics in 1910 against the Cubs. All three previous clubs went on to win the World Series in Game 5.
It is the 51st time that the World Series has sat at 3-1, with the winner of Game 5 in those series going on to win the World Series 35 times (70.0 %). Overall, the winner of Game 5 has gone on to win the World Series 67 times (68.4%).
LOS ANGELES STARTING PITCHER
Jack Flaherty
Age: 28 (10/15/1995)
Birthplace: Burbank, CA
School: Harvard-Westlake High School (CA)
Drafted: 1st Round (34th ) in 2014 by STL
2024 Regular Season: 13-7, 3.17 ERA
2024 Postseason: 1-2, 6.10 ERA
Postseason Performance
Flaherty has made four starts this Postseason going 1-2 with a 6.10 ERA (14 ER/20.2 IP). His first start of the Postseason was Game 2 of the NLDS, allowing a pair of home runs and five hits with one walk and two strikeouts. The contest marked his fifth career Postseason start. He toed the rubber in Game 1 of the NLCS allowing just two hits across 7.0 shutout innings with two walks and six strikeouts. He helped the Dodgers push their scoreless streak to a Postseason-record 31.0 IP. Took the ball again in Game 5 of the NLCS as he allowed eight runs on eight hits across 3.0 innings, taking the loss. Started Game 1 of the World Series, allowing two runs on five hits with one walk and six strikeouts across 5.1 innings.
- 10/6 vs. SD: 5.1 IP, 5 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 2 SO (90 pitches, 57 strikes)
- 10/13 vs. NYM: 7.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 6 SO (98 pitches, 59 strikes)
- 10/18 at NYM: 3.0 IP, 8 H, 8 ER, 2 BB, 0 SO (75 pitches, 41 strikes)
- 10/25 at NYY: 5.1 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 6 SO (90 pitches, 55 strikes)
Against the Yankees
Will face New York for the third time in his career. Is 1-0 with a 1.59 ERA (2 ER/11.1 IP). Earned the win on July 1, 2023 as a member of the Cardinals, allowing four hits across 6.0 shutout innings as he walked two and struck out four batters.
On The Road Again
Went 8-3 with a 2.94 ERA (29 ER/88.2 IP) away from his home ballparks this regular season. In his Postseason career, he holds an 0-1 record with a 5.88 ERA (17 ER/26.0 IP) across five previous career road starts.
Regular Season
Went 13-7 with a 3.17 ERA (57 ER/162.0 IP) across 28 starts with the Tigers (18 GS) and Dodgers (10 GS). Posted six scoreless starts on April 30th; May 30th; June 4th; August 3rd and September 8th. Took the win in four consecutive starts from May 30th through June 21st, going 4-0 with a 0.40 ERA (1 ER/22.1 IP), 27 strikeouts, a 0.67 WHIP and a .143 opponents’ average. The streak was tied for the second-longest of his career after he also won four straight starts in 2023.
The Arsenal
Flaherty relies on five pitches (2024 stats):
- 4-Seam Fastball – 44.3%, .245 opp. AVG
- Slider – 29.0%, .222 opp. AVG
- Knuckle Curve – 21.8%, .164 opp. AVG
- Changeup – 2.7%, .111 opp. AVG
- Sinker – 2.1%, .600 opp. AVG
Golden Boy
Flaherty, who is a native of Burbank, is one of eight California-born pitchers to start a Postseason game for the Dodgers. He joins Hall of Famer Don Drysdale as the only California-born starters to win a Postseason game for the Dodgers since they moved to Los Angeles in 1958. Flaherty is one of three California-born starting pitchers for the Dodgers in the World Series since 1958 joining Drysdale and Tony Gonsolin.
NEW YORK YANKEES STARTING PITCHER
Gerrit Cole
Age: 34 (9/8/1990)
Birthplace: Newport Beach, CA
School: UCLA
Drafted: 1st Round (28th ) in 2008 by PIT
2024 Regular Season: 8-5, 3.41 ERA
2024 Postseason: 1-0, 2.82 ERA
Postseason Performance
Cole has made four starts this Postseason, going 1-0 with a 2.82 ERA (7 ER/22.1 IP). Allowed four runs (three earned) on seven hits with two walks and four strikeouts in Game 1 of the ALDS against Kansas City. He also pitched the ALDS-clinching Game 4, taking the win as he allowed just one run on six hits with no walks and four strikeouts in 7.0 innings on the mound. Pitched once in the ALCS, starting Game 2 as he allowed two runs on six hits with four walks and four strikeouts across 4.1 innings of work. Took the ball in Game 1 of the Fall Classic, allowing one run on four hits with no walks and four strikeouts across 6.0 innings of work.
- 10/5 vs. KC: 5.0 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 2 BB, 4 SO (80 pitches, 56 strikes)
- 10/10 at KC: 7.0 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 SO (87 pitches, 63 strikes)
- 10/15 vs. CLE: 4.1 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 4 BB, 4 SO (89 pitches, 53 strikes)
- 10/25 @ LAD: 6.0 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 6 BB, 4 SO (88 pitches, 61 strikes)
Against the Dodgers
Will face Los Angeles for the 10th time in his career and second time this season. Is 4-2 with a 4.61 ERA (27 ER/52.2 IP). Last faced Los Angeles in the regular season on June 3, 2023, taking the win as he allowed one run on four hits with two walks and five strikeouts across 6.0 innings of work.
Home Sweet Home
Is 3-2 at Yankee Stadium this season, pitching to a 4.40 ERA (28 ER/57.1 IP) in nine regular season starts and two Postseason starts.
Regular Season
Began the season on the 60-Day Injured List with right elbow inflammation. Made his return to the rotation on June 19th as he took a no-decision against Baltimore in 4.0 innings of work. Struck out a season-high 10 batters on August 10th against Texas but did not factor into the decision. Overall, New York was 10-7 when he pitched this season and took the win in all four of his starts from June 30th through July 19th, with Cole claiming a win in three of the four starts.
Show Me What You Got
Cole relies on six pitches (2024 stats):
- 4-Seam Fastball – 45.6%, .236 opp. AVG
- Knuckle Curve – 18.7%, .244 opp. AVG
- Cutter – 15.8%, .113 opp. AVG
- Slider – 15.1%, .333 opp. AVG
- Changeup – 4.0%, .212 opp. AVG
- Sinker – 0.8%, .111 opp. AVG
Battle Tested
Cole is making his 22nd career Postseason start since making his debut in 2013. His 22 Postseason starts are third-most in the Majors since 2013 behind only Clayton Kershaw (30 GS) and Justin Verlander (25 GS). Since 2018, he has made 18 Postseason starts, tied with Walker Buehler for the most in the Majors, while Cole’s 10 Postseason wins are the most since 2018 Overall, he has worked 126.2 Postseason innings in his career, which are the 17th-most as a starter in Postseason history.
Ain’t It Grand?
Anthony Volpe put the Yankees into the lead with a two-out grand slam in the third inning, marking the 15th grand slam in Yankees’ Postseason history and the ninth in Yankees’ World Series history. Other Postseason grand slams for New York include: Giancarlo Stanton (ALDS G1, 2020); Gio Urshela (ALWC G2, 2020); Didi Gregorius (ALDS G2, 2019); Robinson Canó (ALDS G1, 2011); Ricky Ledée (ALCS G4, 1999); Tino Martinez (WS G1, 1998); Paul O’Neill (ALDS G3, 1997); Joe Pepitone (WS G6, 1964); Bobby Richardson (WS G3, 1960); Bill Skowron (WS G7, 1956); Hall of Famer Yogi Berra (WS G2, 1956); Hall of Famer Mickey Mantle (WS G5, 1953); Gil McDougald (WS G5, 1951); and Hall of Famer Tony Lazzeri (WS G2, 1936). Per Elias, Volpe (aged 23.184) became the fourth-youngest player with a grand slam in World Series history, joining Hall of Famer Mickey Mantle (21.349, G5 1953); Addison Russell (22.283, G6 2016); and Gil McDougald (23.143, G5 1951).
It was the sixth grand slam of this Postseason across Baseball, surpassing the previous record of five Postseason grand slams in 1998 and matched in 2021. Other grand slams this October include: Freddie Freeman (WS G1); Mark Vientos (NLCS G2); Lane Thomas (ALDS G5); Francisco Lindor (NLDS G4); and Teoscar Hernández (NLDS G3). Along with Freeman’s slam in Game 1, this is the fourth World Series to feature multiple grand slams, joining 1987 (Dan Gladden in G1 and Kent Hrbek in G6); 1964 (Ken Boyer in G4 and Joe Pepitone in G6); and 1956 (Bill Skowron in G7 and Yogi Berra in G2). It is just the second World Series in which each club hit a grand slam, joining 1964.
Rack ‘Em Up
The Yankees rallied for five runs in the eighth inning last night, scoring on a fielder’s choice, a three-run homer from Gleyber Torres and an RBI single from Aaron Judge. It was the most runs in a single World Series frame since the Rangers scored five runs in the second and third innings of Game 4 in the 2023 Fall Classic.
The Yankees’ 11 runs are tied for the second-most ever by a club facing elimination in the World Series, per Elias. Previously the Diamondbacks won 15-2 over the Yankees in Game 6 of the 2001 World Series; the Twins won 11-5 over St. Louis in Game 6 of the 1987 World Series; and the Royals won 11-0 over the Cardinals in Game 7 of the 1985 World Series.
So(to) Sweet
Juan Soto reached base twice last night, via a walk and knocking a single in the eighth inning. Dating back to Game 2 of the NL Wild Card Series with San Diego in 2022, Soto has reached base in each of his last 24 Postseason games. His current on-base streak is tied for the fifth-longest streak in Postseason history with Carlos Ruiz’s 24-game streak from 2008-10 and Carlos Beltrán’s 24-game streak from 2004-12. The current streak trails only Miguel Cabrera’s 31-game steak from 2011-13, Chase Utley’s 27-game streak from 2007-09, Jose Altuve’s 25-game streak from 2017-19, Pablo Sandoval’s 25-game streak from 2012-14 and Boog Powell’s 25-game streak from 1966-71. During the streak, Soto is batting .292/.396/.551 (26-for-89) with six homers, 16 RBI, five doubles, 15 walks, 17 runs scored, a stolen base and a .947 OPS.
