“Start the Party, Los Angeles”: The Dodgers’ Unexpected World Series Triumph

LOS ANGELES — When Joe Davis called the final out of Game 5—“Start the party, Los Angeles! Your Dodgers have won the World Series!”—it wasn’t just a celebration of a long-awaited championship. It was the culmination of a turbulent, thrilling, and ultimately redemptive season that saw manager Dave Roberts outmaneuver his critics, Freddie Freeman make history, and unexpected heroes deliver when it mattered most.

The 2024 World Series had the makings of a Hollywood epic before the first pitch was even thrown. Shohei Ohtani, in his long-awaited playoff debut, faced off against Aaron Judge and the Yankees in a clash of MVP titans. It was the 12th Dodgers-Yankees World Series and their first meeting since 1981. But in a showdown of superstars, it was the depth and resilience of the Dodgers—and the steady hand of Dave Roberts—that made the difference.

Game 1: Freddie’s Moment for the Ages

Game 1 was an instant classic. After falling behind 2–1 in the sixth, the Dodgers tied the game in the eighth on a sacrifice fly from Mookie Betts, and the stage was set for one of the most dramatic finishes in World Series history. In the top of the tenth, the Yankees managed to scractch across a run, thanks mostly to the pesky baserunning of Jazz Chisholm Jr. Now up 3-2, the Yanks were three outs away from stealing the first game of the series and seizing home field advantage. Things were looking dire in Dodgerland. But in the bottom of the tenth, the Dodgers built a rally for the ages. down to their final out and trailing by a run, Freeman stepped to the plate with the bases loaded. On the first pitch from Nestor Cortés Jr., he launched a walk-off grand slam—the first in World Series history—into the right field pavilion. The roar that followed felt like 1988 all over again.

Freeman, playing through nagging ankle soreness, had just delivered the biggest swing of his career. “Gibby, meet Freddie,” Joe Davis said on the broadcast, echoing Vin Scully’s legendary call.

Game 2: Yamamoto Silences the Yankee Bats

If Freeman stole the spotlight in Game 1, it was Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s turn in Game 2. Making his first World Series start, the Japanese sensation gave up just one hit through six dominant innings, baffling Yankee hitters with his command and poise. Teoscar Hernández and Tommy Edman each homered, while Freeman added his second long ball in as many nights. Despite a late scare, Roberts’ bullpen choices—Blake Treinen followed by Alex Vesia—sealed a 4–2 win and a commanding 2–0 series lead.

Game 3: Buehler’s Calm in the Bronx

Back at Yankee Stadium, Walker Buehler delivered a vintage performance, blanking the Yankees for five innings in Game 3. The Dodgers struck early with Freeman’s third home run of the series and added insurance runs via Betts and Enrique Hernández. Edman again proved invaluable, scoring a key run and turning in sharp defensive work. Even as the Yankees rallied late, the Dodgers held firm, taking a 3–0 series lead with a 4–2 win.

Game 4: A Gut Punch and a Wake-Up Call

Down three games to none, the Yankees exploded in Game 4. Anthony Volpe’s grand slam and Gleyber Torres’ three-run blast powered New York to an 11–4 rout. The Dodgers had gone with a bullpen game—Roberts’ strategic concession to rest his starters—and it showed. But rather than demoralizing the club, the lopsided loss galvanized them.

“We knew it wasn’t going to be easy,” Roberts said postgame. “But we weren’t flying across the country just to give them one.”

To Dodger fans in the know, Game 4 felt like a “punt” game. The Dodgers fell behind early, and then Dave Roberts just let the game go, marshalling his resources for Game 5. As it would turn out, he’d need every one of them.

Game 5: The Masterstroke

Game 5 was Dave Roberts’ masterpiece. After falling behind 5–0, the Dodgers clawed back—helped by three Yankee defensive miscues in a disastrous fifth inning. Freeman’s clutch two-run single and Hernández’s two-run double tied the game.

Then came the gutsy call. With the game still tied in the sixth and the bullpen gassed, Roberts turned to Blake Treinen, who had already thrown high-leverage innings earlier in the series. Treinen delivered 2.1 brilliant innings, neutralizing the heart of the Yankees’ order. There was a moment late in the game, where Roberts went to the mound, not entirely sure if he’d let Treinen finish the inning. But, he gauged his pitcher’s heartbeat, and felt he had it in him. He did, and sent the game into the ninth with the lead intact.

The go-ahead run had come in the eighth. With the bases loaded, Gavin Lux delivered a sacrifice fly to tie the game, and Betts followed with another to give L.A. the lead. It was good, heads-up baseball that one this series, something the Dodgers did, but the Yankees couldn’t accomplish.

Roberts had one more surprise up his sleeve. With no bullpen arms left except a spent Daniel Hudson (Huddy would retire shortly after the series) and the World Series on the line, he called on Game 3 starter Walker Buehler—on just one day’s rest—to close out the ninth. Buehler, icy as ever, struck out Austin Wells and Alex Verdugo to end the game and seal the Dodgers’ eighth title. He struck out former Dodger Alex Verdugo for the final out, throwing his arms wide open in a “What-else-did-you-expect?” gesture that broke about a million hearts in the Tri-State Area.

Unsung Heroes

While Freeman’s MVP performance—12 RBIs and home runs in each of the first four games—drew headlines, it was the depth of the Dodgers roster that proved decisive.

Tommy Edman, acquired at the deadline, hit a pivotal Game 2 homer and scored key runs in multiple games. His hustle and versatility earned him a spot in every postseason starting lineup and silenced skeptics of the midseason trade.

Kiké Hernández, always a postseason spark plug, ignited the Game 5 comeback with a leadoff single. Teoscar Hernández, another new face, slugged and ran with swagger, making things happen at both ends of the field.

Then there was Treinen, the veteran closer turned multi-inning fireman. With Daniel Hudson and Michael Kopech unavailable, Treinen stepped up in the biggest moments, throwing more innings than any reliever in the series—and dominating.

Dave Roberts’ Finest Hour

No manager in baseball faced more postseason second-guessing than Dave Roberts. But in 2024, he authored the most impressive October of his career. He pulled the right levers, trusted his veterans, gave the kids room to shine, and outmaneuvered a Yankees team with firepower to spare.

From calling on Treinen in Game 5 to the bold move to use Buehler as a closer, Roberts didn’t manage by the book—he managed to win. It paid off with a second ring and a legacy-sealing triumph.

The Legacy

The 2024 Dodgers weren’t as dominant as past editions. Their pitching was decimated by the end of the year. They lost Max Muncy for three months, had Mookie Betts playing through pain, and watched Ohtani DH only. But they got healthy, got hot, and got it done.

They won with stars. They won with depth. They won with Freddie’s bat and Buehler’s grit. And they won with Dave Roberts managing the best series of his life.

For Dodgers fans, it was more than a title—it was validation. Of Ohtani’s decision. Of Freeman’s heart. Of Roberts’ leadership.

And for a team haunted by past Octobers, it was something even sweeter:

Redemption.

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