Honestly, if you just look at the final tally—Dodgers 4, Yankees 1—it looks like a blowout. It wasn't. Not even close. If you were watching, you know those World Series 2024 scores don't tell half the story of how close the Bronx Bombers came to dragging this thing back to Los Angeles.
It was a series defined by one man's hobbled ankles, a bullpen that refused to break, and a fifth inning in Game 5 that will probably haunt Gerrit Cole’s nightmares until he retires. We saw the first walk-off grand slam in Fall Classic history. We saw a 5-0 lead vanish in the blink of an eye.
Basically, it was chaos.
The Night Everything Changed: Game 1
Final Score: Dodgers 6, Yankees 3 (10 Innings)
Game 1 was the pivot point. You’ve gotta wonder: if the Yankees win this, does the whole series flip?
Jack Flaherty and Gerrit Cole were dealing early, but the game went into the 10th inning tied at 2-2. Then things got weird. Jazz Chisholm Jr. manufactured a run with his legs to put New York up 3-2. The stadium felt like the air had been sucked out of it.
Then came Freddie Freeman.
With the bases loaded and two outs, Freeman—who was basically playing on one leg due to a brutal ankle sprain—saw a first-pitch fastball from Nestor Cortes. Boom. The ball landed in the right-field pavilion. 6-3. Game over. It was the first walk-off grand slam in World Series history, and it set a tone that the Yankees spent the next four games trying to escape.
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Keeping the Momentum: Games 2 and 3
Game 2 Score: Dodgers 4, Yankees 2
Game 3 Score: Dodgers 4, Yankees 2
Los Angeles stayed home for Game 2 and relied on Yoshinobu Yamamoto. He was incredible. He went 6.1 innings, giving up only one hit—a solo shot to Juan Soto. Meanwhile, Tommy Edman, Teoscar Hernández, and (surprise, surprise) Freddie Freeman all went deep.
The most terrifying moment for LA wasn't even the score. It was Shohei Ohtani sliding into second base and hurting his shoulder. Everyone thought the series changed right there.
But it didn't.
In Game 3, the scene shifted to the Bronx. The Yankee Stadium crowd was ready to explode, but Walker Buehler shut them down for five scoreless innings. Freeman homered again in the first inning. By the time Alex Verdugo hit a two-run homer for the Yankees in the 9th, it was too little, too late. The Dodgers had a 3-0 stranglehold.
The Yankees Fight Back: Game 4
Final Score: Yankees 11, Dodgers 4
Nobody wanted a sweep. Well, Dodgers fans did, but the baseball gods didn't.
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For a second, it looked like the same old story: Freddie Freeman hit a two-run homer in the first (his fourth straight game with a long ball). But Anthony Volpe changed the narrative.
Volpe, the kid who grew up a Yankees fan, hit a massive grand slam in the third inning. The Bronx finally had something to scream about. The Yankees poured it on late, with Gleyber Torres hitting a three-run blast in the 8th. The 11-4 final was the only time the Dodgers' pitching staff looked truly vulnerable.
The Meltdown: Game 5
Final Score: Dodgers 7, Yankees 6
This is the one people will talk about in 20 years. The World Series 2024 scores show a one-run win for LA, but they don't show the comedy of errors that got us there.
The Yankees were cruising. Aaron Judge finally woke up with a home run. Jazz Chisholm followed him with another. By the 5th inning, it was 5-0 New York. Gerrit Cole hadn't even given up a hit.
Then, the 5th inning happened:
- Judge dropped a routine fly ball.
- Anthony Volpe threw a ball into the dirt.
- Gerrit Cole forgot to cover first base on a Mookie Betts grounder.
Suddenly, it was 5-5. The Yankees actually took the lead back 6-5 on a Giancarlo Stanton sac fly, but the Dodgers weren't done. In the 8th, Gavin Lux and Mookie Betts drove in runs to make it 7-6.
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Then came the closer. Not Blake Treinen, who had already emptied his tank, but Walker Buehler. Coming out of the bullpen on short rest, Buehler mowed down the Yankees in the 9th to clinch the title.
World Series 2024 Score Breakdown
| Game | Winner | Score | Key Player |
|---|---|---|---|
| Game 1 | Dodgers | 6-3 (10) | Freddie Freeman (Grand Slam) |
| Game 2 | Dodgers | 4-2 | Yoshinobu Yamamoto (1 Hit allowed) |
| Game 3 | Dodgers | 4-2 | Walker Buehler (5 Scoreless IP) |
| Game 4 | Yankees | 11-4 | Anthony Volpe (Grand Slam) |
| Game 5 | Dodgers | 7-6 | Freddie Freeman (2-run single in the 5th) |
Why Freddie Freeman Won MVP
You sort of have to give it to him, right? He tied the World Series record with 12 RBIs. He became the first player ever to homer in the first four games of a single World Series. And he did it all while he could barely walk between the bases.
While Ohtani struggled with his shoulder and Judge struggled with his swing (until Game 5), Freeman was the constant. He hit .300 with a 1.364 OPS. Those are video game numbers.
What Most People Get Wrong About This Series
A lot of folks think the Yankees "choked." That's a bit harsh. Honestly, the Dodgers' coaching staff out-scouted them.
The Dodgers threw more "spin" (breaking balls and sliders) than almost any team in World Series history. They knew the Yankees' hitters—especially Judge and Stanton—wanted fastballs. By refusing to give them the heater, the Dodgers kept the Yankees off-balance for most of the five games.
Even when the Yankees won Game 4, it felt like they were swimming upstream.
Actionable Takeaways for Baseball Fans
If you're looking back at these World Series 2024 scores to understand the current state of MLB, here’s what you need to remember:
- Starting Pitching is Evolving: The Dodgers didn't need 8 innings from their starters. They needed 5 solid ones and a "stable" of high-velocity arms to finish the job.
- The "Momentum" Myth: People said the Yankees had all the momentum after Game 4's blowout. They led 5-0 in Game 5. It didn't matter. One bad inning can erase four hours of "momentum."
- Fundamentals Win Titles: The Yankees lost Game 5 because of defense. Simple as that. Catch the ball, cover the bag, win the game.
The 2024 World Series was a reminder that in October, the stars (Ohtani, Judge, Soto) get you to the dance, but the guys who can execute under pressure (Freeman, Buehler, Edman) are the ones who get to lift the trophy.