NEW YORK − Anthony Volpe grew up in New Jersey, idolizing Derek Jeter, and recalled being an 8-year-old tossing toilet paper into the crowd at the 2009 New York Yankees ticker-tape parade.

Although the Yankees have a challenging road ahead for any World Series celebration, Volpe provided a spark on Tuesday night with a grand slam that kept their season alive, leading them to an 11-4 triumph over the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The Yankees are still behind the Dodgers in the World Series, 3 games to 1, but it’s noteworthy that no team has ever come back from a 3-0 deficit to force Game 6.

Still, they now have a heartbeat and a flicker of hope for a comeback.

“Hopefully we can turn this into an incredible story,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone commented after Game 3, “and surprise everyone.”

Volpe initiated this comeback with his grand slam in the fourth inning, transforming a 2-1 deficit into a 5-2 lead, marking the Yankees’ first lead since Game 1 of the Series. It appeared that this home run finally relieved the team’s tension. Shortly after, rookie catcher Austin Wells added a solo homer in the sixth, and Gleyber Torres sealed the deal with a three-run homer in the eighth inning.

However, Volpe’s slam was the most crucial hit of the night, reminding everyone that the Yankees are still the formidable Bronx Bombers.

Volpe, who had made a baserunning mistake in the third inning that could have cost the Yankees, came to bat during a crucial moment in the third inning as the Yankees were failing to capitalize on another scoring chance. With Anthony Rizzo popping out to Dodger shortstop Tommy Edman for the second out, New York was just 2-for-10 with runners in scoring position.

“These are the moments you play for,” Volpe said.

And, of course, for dreams like this.

“After the ALCS, my mom was trying to remind me that this is real,” Volpe shared. “It’s been a wild ride so far.”

Freddie Freeman homered for the Dodgers yet again, setting a World Series record by homering for the sixth consecutive game, dating back to his time with Atlanta in 2021. Despite this, it was Volpe who shone brightest for the Yankees that night, reaching base three times with a grand slam, a double, a walk, and two stolen bases, boasting a .407 on-base percentage.

“I think he’s matured a lot this postseason,” Boone noted. “I’m not surprised by his mental toughness. I hope this performance serves as a stepping stone for his offensive growth.”

“He’s shown great consistency at the plate. His defense has been solid since he joined the major leagues, and I believe in a couple of years, we’ll see him as a very strong offensive player.”

“Not every player has a fast rise to success, but I feel he is definitely making progress, and this playoff run is highlighting that growth.”

The Yankees are set to start their ace, Gerrit Cole, for Game 5 on Wednesday (8:08 p.m. ET, FOX) and believe that if he can replicate his brilliant Game 1 performance (6 innings, 4 hits, 1 run), they can bring the Series back to Los Angeles, where Carlos Rodon is expected to take the mound against Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

Boone is optimistic about their team’s resolve and determination to add some excitement to the series.

“We’ve faced a lot of challenges this season,” Boone remarked, “and the players have never faltered in difficult times. This is my seventh season, and I’ve seen many strong clubhouses, but this one truly stands out. They genuinely play for each other.”

“It’s incredible to witness their closeness, trust, and support for one another. This unity has served them well throughout the ups and downs of the season, and I hope it continues to play a role in the remainder of this series.”

Despite understanding that no team has ever come back from a 3-0 deficit in World Series history, they find inspiration from the Boston Red Sox— the only team in postseason history to have defeated a 3-0 deficit, which occurred against the Yankees in the 2004 ALCS.

“We need to find inspiration somewhere,” Rizzo said. “It’s been done before.”

This is why Rizzo gave a short motivational talk to his teammates before Game 3, expressing that he wasn’t ready to see their season end, noting that this could be their last chance to be together.

Borrowing words from Kevin Millar of the ’04 Red Sox, he urged, “Don’t let us win tonight.”

“With Gerrit Cole pitching next, and a motivated Rodon for Game 6 if we make it there, we have a fighting chance. And Game 7 could go either way. There’s a documentary currently being made about Game 7, right?”

For at least one night, the dream continues.

“We just have to keep in mind that anything is possible,” Cole noted. “We’ve been reminding each other a lot. there’s still plenty of baseball ahead.”