Freddie Freeman went homerless for a change, but that didn’t prevent him from claiming a share of another World Series record before the Dodgers hoisted a championship trophy Wednesday night and he was named the series MVP.
The slugging first baseman delivered a two-run single in the fifth inning of the Dodgers’ 7-6 victory over the Yankees in Game 5 of the World Series, giving him 12 RBIs in this Fall Classic.
It matched the record established by Bobby Richardson for the Yankees in the 1960 World Series.
“To come through in those situations, that is what you think about as a kid, doing that in the World Series” Freeman said.
Freeman homered in the first four games of the series — becoming the first player in World Series history to accomplish that feat.
Along the way, he established a record by hitting a homer in six straight World Series games (dating back to 2021 with the Braves).
Not bad for a player whose gimpy right ankle forced him to miss two starts against the Mets in the National League Championship Series.
But Freeman received the opportunity to rest the ankle (which he sprained Sept. 26) between the NLCS and World Series, and the results have been dramatic.
“He’s just such a good example for all of us,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “Even when you’re not healthy, be out there and post because it matters.”
Follow The Post’s coverage of the Yankees in the postseason:
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- Aaron Judge’s crucial mistake erased breakout World Series moment
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- Juan Soto’s season ends with million-dollar questions with Yankees future now murky
Freeman’s walk-off grand slam against Nestor Cortes in the 10th inning of Game 1 on Friday was the defining moment in the series.
Freeman followed with a homer Saturday and, after the series shifted to Yankee Stadium, blasted a first-inning homer in Games 3 and 4.
Freeman’s two-run single that allowed him to tie Richardson’s record came as part of a wacky fifth inning in which all five runs the Dodgers scored against Gerrit Cole were unearned.
The crusher was Mookie Betts’ roller to Anthony Rizzo with two outs, on which Cole failed to cover first base.
Betts was safe at first, and Freeman’s ensuing single pulled the Dodgers within 5-3.
Teoscar Hernandez tied the game with his ensuing double.
“When you are given extra outs and you capitalize in that kind of game, that’s huge,” Freeman said. “For us to get it back to even, you could just feel the momentum coming along.”
