
The baseball gods sure know how to make a legendary moment that much more special.
Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman, who has been dealing with a severely sprained ankle throughout the playoffs, hit the biggest home run of his life Friday night, connecting on a walk-off grand slam in the bottom of the tenth inning with two outs in Game 1 of the World Series. The Dodgers won 6-3 and are up 1-0 over the New York Yankees.
Dodgers World Series Walk-Off Home Runs Share Eerie Connection

“I felt like nothing,” Freeman said after the game, via ESPN.com. “Just kind of floating.”
Freeman suffered his injury at the end of the regular season. His ankle injury usually takes four-to-six weeks to heal, but he was back for Game 1 of the NLDS. However, he has missed three games these playoffs, including two against the New York Mets in the NLCS.
The Yankees intentionally walked Mookie Betts so they could get the lefty-on-lefty matchup with Nestor Cortes facing Freeman. It didn’t work, though, as Freeman smashed the first walk-off grand slam in World Series history.
“When you’re 5 years old with your two older brothers and you’re playing whiffle ball in the backyard, those are the scenarios you dream about — two outs, bases loaded in a World Series game,” Freeman told ESPN.com. “For it to actually happen, and get a home run and walk it off to give us a 1-0 lead, that’s as good as it gets right there.”
"SHE IS GONE!"
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 26, 2024
Freddie Freeman and Kirk Gibson walk if off in Game 1 of the #WorldSeries 36 years apart. pic.twitter.com/NmaYJAZ7Xh
Freeman’s slam came 36 years after Kirk Gibson’s memorable walk-off home run against Hall of Fame Oakland Athletics closer Dennis Eckersley in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series. Gibson was hobbled going into that at-bat with left hamstring and right knee injuries. It didn’t stop him from connecting on one of the most famous home runs in baseball history.
It was Gibson’s only appearance in the World Series that the Dodgers won.
What made this moment even more special is it literally happened one minute apart decades later. According to MLB.com, Gibson’s homer landed in the stands at 8:38 p.m. PT, while Freeman’s blast occurred at 8:39 p.m. PT.
How can you not be romantic about baseball?
