Freddie Freeman sets two World Series records with his home run in Game 4

NEW YORK (AP) — One day Freddie Freeman will look back on this World Series Tears and shook his head in disbelief.

Just like everyone else.

Freeman broke two Series records on Tuesday when he hit another home run in the Los Angeles Dodgers' Game 4 against the New York Yankees.

The thug blasted a two-run shot to right field in the first inning for the second straight time, making him the first player to go far in the first four games of a Fall Classic. The streak started with his Walk-Off Grand Slam in the 10th inning of Game 1.

“Pretty cool, obviously,” said Freeman, who dealt with a lingering ankle injury early in the postseason. “Hopefully I can continue tomorrow.”

Freeman was also the only player to hit a home run in six consecutive World Series games since the 2021 championship he won with Atlanta against Houston.

“I feel good,” he said. “In the time I was able to work on my swing, I found evidence that my ankle was feeling better. And I actually saw the ball very well. They make mistakes and I was able to eliminate them.”

Freeman's latest drive wasn't enough on the night, however, as the Yankees helped prevent a four-game sweep an 11-4 win. Los Angeles leads the series 3-1 and needs one more win for its second championship in five years and the franchise's eighth overall.

George Springer pitched in five consecutive Series games for the Astros from 2017 to 2019. He joins Freeman as the only batters to hit in four straight games in a World Series, doing so in Games 4 through 7 in 2017 against the Dodgers before hitting another home run in the 2019 opener against Washington.

The only other players to hit a home run in the first three games of a World Series were Yankees outfielder Hank Bauer (1958) and Giants slugger Barry Bonds (2002).

Freeman added a third run Tuesday night when he went all out in the fifth to prevent a potential inning-ending double play, a call at first base that was overturned after a replay challenge.

“You saw me flying down the line tonight,” Freeman said with a smile.

That gave him 10 RBIs in the Series, third-most for any player in a Fall Classic and two more than the previous Dodgers record shared by Hall of Famers Duke Snider (1952) and Gil Hodges (1956).

Bobby Richardson holds the major league mark with 12 for the Yankees in a loss to Pittsburgh in 1960.

After a one-out double by Mookie Betts, Freeman blasted a 2-1 slider from rookie starter Luis Gil over the short porch in right field at Yankee Stadium for his 14th postseason career home run.

The ball landed in the front row of seats, just left of the 314-foot sign in the corner, and a pumped-up Freeman shouted excitedly toward the Dodgers' dugout as he rounded the bases.

His drive came on the 15th and gave Los Angeles a 2-0 lead, just like it did Monday night. as Freeman scored straight past Clarke Schmidt.

Freeman, the 2020 NL MVP with the Braves, missed three games during the National League playoffs this year because of his bad ankle. Entering the World Series, he had one RBI and no extra-base hits that postseason before hitting a triple in Game 1 in his first appearance.

“I'm telling you, we're really out of the woods. Apparently it's still swollen. But I feel good. “I’m fine,” Freeman said. “I have no concerns about that at the moment.”

The popular first baseman batted .313 (5 for 16) with one walk and a 1.540 OPS in the World Series.

“I don’t even think about my ankle,” he said. “I’m fine, I promise.”

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