NEW YORK – The Yankees finally broke through with their first World Series victory in front of a rocking Bronx crowd, reminding everyone that they won’t go down without a fight. Whether it was the pressure of competing in an elimination game and playing with urgency, or seeing multiple relief arms and taking advantage of the Dodgers’ bullpen play, the Yankees’ 11-4 win on Tuesday night was just that they needed to regain their confidence. in the autumn classic.

After all, they’re the best team in the American League for a reason.

Here are four more takeaways from Game 4 in the Bronx.

1. Volpe’s signature Yankees moment

It was sweet, sweet redemption for Anthony Volpe. One inning after failing to score from second base on an Austin Wells double, he was able to take the opportunity to make up for his mistake when the Yankees, trailing 2-1, loaded the bases for him in the fifth. The Yankees found ways to get on base, but they still needed that big hit, and it seemed unlikely they would actually capitalize after Anthony Rizzo popped out with the bases empty for the second out. But it was also pretty clear that Daniel Hudson, who was the second man out of the bullpen in the Dodgers’ bullpen game, wasn’t having it.

Volpe pounced on the first pitch Hudson offered him, an 90-mph slider that hit the bottom of the zone before the Yankees shortstop fired it to left field. Fans couldn’t believe it when the ball continued to sail over left fielder Teoscar Hernández’s head and into the seats. Only when it landed safely behind the left field wall did an anxious and restless home crowd of 49,354 erupt for the first time in this World Series. Volpe’s grand slam gave the Yankees a lead they did not want to relinquish. The first home run of his postseason career was only his second overall since August 4. – Deesha Thosar

2. Freddie Vrijman does it again

No, that wasn’t a repeat. Freddie Freeman had no extra-base hits, just one run scored and one RBI in the first two rounds of the postseason. He was too hampered by his ankle sprain to play in the deciding Game 6 of the NLCS for the Dodgers, and there were questions about whether his valiant effort to be in the lineup – despite his obvious pain, and despite the extent to which it seemed to be a stimulating factor. The strength of his teammates, who admired the daily effort it took to get on the field, did more harm than good.

The Yankees haven’t seen that version of the All-Star first baseman. A week off, Freeman went from a singles hitter to a lanky juggernaut. His teammates thought he had found his swing again when they saw him taking batting practice a few days before the start of the World Series, lining baseballs over the shortstop as he usually does when swinging to right.

The Yankees didn’t get that version of Freeman either. Instead, they’ve seen the one who’s on a historic postseason home run pace. Freeman hit the first walk-off grand slam in World Series history in Game 1, added a solo shot in Game 2, quieted the opponent at Yankee Stadium in the first inning of Game 3 with a shot of two runs and then did it again in Game 4. Freeman – who also homered in the final two games of the Braves’ 2021 title series – set a Major League record in the process by hitting a home run in six consecutive World Series games .

He has now homered in four straight games to start this World Series. At the time of his Game 4 explosion, Freeman had driven in more runs than the entire Yankees team this series. His 10 RBIs are the most by a Dodgers player in a World Series. This time, however, it wasn’t the dagger it was in Game 3, as the Yankees lineup fought back. – Rowan Kavner

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3. With a little help from Judge’s friends

It was hard to imagine the Yankees getting one win in this World Series without one of two things happening: either Aaron Judge wakes up, or the guys he’s carried all year finally give him some of that support back. It was especially the latter Tuesday, when the bottom of the Yankees order finally put together quality at-bats for the first time in this Series. Austin Wells, one of the Yankees’ best hitters in July and August and who worked his way into the American League Rookie of the Year conversation, hit a solo shot to right in the sixth inning for a much-needed insurance run . That homer came after an excellent at-bat in the second inning, when he skied a double off the filler in center field.

No lead is safe with the Dodgers in the other dugout, as the Yankees learned the hard way in Game 1. That might explain New York’s five-run outburst in the eighth inning, with Volpe and Wells once again safely set the table for a Gleyber Torres three-run home run. Amazingly, the Yankees scored their first 10 runs of this game without Juan Soto or Judge prominently involved. —Thosar

4. Dodgers bullpen play is going south quickly

Tuesday was the fourth bullpen game of the postseason for the Dodgers. The first, in an elimination Game 4 in the NLDS, was a clinic, with eight different pitchers teaming up to hold the Padres scoreless in an 8-0 shutout that came in the midst of a record 33 consecutive scoreless innings for the Dodgers. pitching staff.

The last three haven’t gone as smoothly, including the first of the World Series on Tuesday in the Bronx. With four chances to win one game, manager Dave Roberts decided not to use all of his best high-leverage pieces like he needed to in that first do-or-die matchup in San Diego. It was a little more like Game 2 of the NLCS, when, after the Mets tagged Landon Knack for five runs, the Dodgers essentially punted. Roberts didn’t want to tire his best arms in a long series, and he didn’t want the Mets to take another look at those arms in a negative situation. The move ultimately paid off.

It was a similar situation against the Yankees on Tuesday. Although Roberts said everyone was available, it was clear he would need some length from rookies Ben Casparius and Knack and from then on would decide who to use based on the game situation. “Every man will face charges in the future,” Roberts said. Michael Kopech had pitched in each of the first three games. Blake Treinen, Anthony Banda, Alex Vesia and Brusdar Graterol had each used two. None of them saw the field after Volpe’s grand slam off Daniel Hudson put the Yankees in the driver’s seat. Roberts has pushed a lot of the right buttons so far in October, so we’ll see if saving his top guys for Game 5 and again afterward was the right decision. – Rowan Kavner

Deesha Thosar is an MLB reporter for FOX Sports. She previously covered the Mets as a beat reporter for the New York Daily News. The daughter of Indian immigrants, Deesha grew up on Long Island and now lives in Queens. Follow her on Twitter at @DeeshaThosar.

Rowan Kavner is an MLB writer for FOX Sports. He previously covered the LA Dodgers, LA Clippers and Dallas Cowboys. Rowan, an LSU graduate, was born in California, raised in Texas and then moved back to the West Coast in 2014. Follow him on Twitter at @RowanKavner.

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