NEW YORK – Freddie Freeman tied George Springer’s record for homering in five consecutive World Series games, hitting a two-run drive off the New York Yankees’ Clarke Schmidt in the first inning to put the Los Angeles Dodgers at a took a 2-0 lead in Game 3 on Monday night.

Looking for their second title in five years, the Dodgers entered the best-of-seven series with a 2-0 lead.

Shohei Ohtani, who played two days after partially releasing his left shoulder, walked when he started. After Mookie Betts flied out, Freeman drove a high cutter with a 1-2 count about five rows deep into the lower deck in right field.

Freeman became the third player to homer in the first three games of a World Series, following Hank Bauer in 1958 and Barry Bonds in 2002.

He homered in Atlanta’s final two games against Houston in the 2021 World Series, and he was accurate in all three games of this game. The 35-year-old Freeman, an eight-time All-Star and 2020 NL MVP, has seven RBIs in the Series.

Freeman sprained his right ankle on September 26 against San Diego while trying to avoid a tag at first base by the Padres’ Luis Arráez and missed the Dodgers’ final three regular season games.

His game-ending grand slam in the 10th inning in Game 1 on Friday night, which gave the Dodgers a 6-3 victory, was his first home run since September 16. He followed Teoscar Hernández for back-to-back home runs in the game. third inning of Game 2.

Springer homered in Games 4 through 7 in 2017 as the Astros defeated the Dodgers for the title, then hit again in the 2019 opener against Washington.