Yankees Draw Motivation from Red Sox’s ’04 Comeback to Make World Series History After Game 4 Victory
NEW YORK β On Tuesday night, an electronic sign in the New York Yankees’ clubhouse laid bare their intentions for the World Series.
βWin Tomorrow Fly Thursday.ββ
After a big 11-4 win against the Dodgers, the Yankees are set to fly to Los Angeles, echoing the famous tagline from Kevin Millar of the 2004 Boston Red Sox: βDonβt Let Us Win Tonight.ββ
In their remarkable year, the Red Sox made baseball history by overcoming a 3-0 series deficit against the Yankees in the ALCS, ultimately claiming their first World Series title since 1918.
Just released on Netflix is a documentary about that iconic comeback.
βIβd like to make another one,ββ said Yankees first baseman Anthony Rizzo with a smile.
Itβs quite a twist, given their fierce rivalry, that the Yankees are looking to the Red Sox as a source of inspiration, aiming to achieve what no World Series champion has done before.
βOne thing about us,ββ said Yankees third baseman Jazz Chisholm, βis we love history. We want to create our own chapter in it. So, weβre attempting to accomplish something unprecedented.
βI want my name in that history book.β
With the Yankees finally looking like their formidable selves, they hit three home runs off different Dodger pitchers, overcoming another historic blow from Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman, exuding newfound confidence.
βI sense weβre finding our rhythm,ββ Chisholm noted. βWeβre hitting well as a team now. This is what we’ve aimed for throughout the playoffs. It hasnβt always happened like this; earlier it was just three or four guys stepping up, but now weβre all contributing together.ββ
The Yankees showcased a potent offense, launching three home runsβincluding a grand slam by Anthony Volpeβstealing five bases, hitting three doubles, and scoring 11 runs. This marks a feat not seen since at least 1898, per OptaSTATS.
βWe realize weβre a strong team, and today is a reminder of why weβre here in the World Series,ββ stated Chisholm, who also had a single, a walk, and a stolen base. βWeβre still keeping spirits high and saying, ‘We got this, bro.β
βThis wonβt come easy, but this is what we were built for. Who wouldn’t want to make history? I thrive on it. Itβs about making my mark in history and being part of something greater.
βIf anyone can do it, itβs this team.ββ
In World Series history, 25 teams have faced a 3-0 deficit, with 21 being swept. Just three teams have managed to push for a Game 5, and no team has ever come back to force a Game 6 after trailing 3-0.
Now, they stand at 3 games to 1, with Rizzo recalling the last team to pull off such a comeback in 2016 with the Chicago Cubs against the Cleveland Indians.
βWe reminded ourselves weβve won three games in a row plenty of times in the past,ββ Rizzo emphasized. βSo, we know it can be done. And it was done today.β
The Yankees appeared on the verge of fading again when Freeman silenced the packed crowd in the opening inning, hitting a two-run homer off starter Luis Gil, marking his fourth home run of the Series and extending his personal record to six consecutive World Series games with a homer since 2021.
Rather than feeling defeated, the Yankees took it in stride.
βThis is a scenario weβve faced in every game,ββ Chisholm explained. βSo, we donβt let it discourage us. Itβs becoming a normal occurrence for him, right? But for us, trailing by two runs never feels overwhelming.
βThis is a team that only needs two batters to change the game, and honestly, I believe anyone one through nine can contribute.β
The star player that revitalized the Yankees’ season was a 23-year-old who grew up in New Jersey as a devoted fan, idolizing Hall of Famer Derek Jeter. He still cherishes pictures of himself at the Yankeesβ 2009 World Series parade at just eight years old.
On this night, he etched his name in Yankees history by being the first player to hit a go-ahead grand slam while his team faced elimination. He also joined Hall of Famer Eddie Collins from 1910 as the sole players with at least two extra-base hits and two stolen bases in a World Series game.
The Yankees, who had struggled under pressure throughout the series with a 4-for-23 record with runners in scoring position, found themselves trailing 2-1 when Volpe came up to bat with two outs in the third inning. Facing Dodgers veteran reliever Daniel Hudson, Volpe launched the first pitchβa slider clocking in at 89 mphβinto the left-center-field stands. The crowd erupted in cheers.
βIt felt like the roof was blown off Yankee Stadium,ββ Yankees manager Aaron Boone remarked, βin a World Series showdown.ββ
As the fans celebrated, Chisholm leaped in joy, Yankees players embraced in the dugout, and Volpe momentarily felt overwhelmed with excitement.
βI think I pretty much blanked out when I saw it go over the fence,β Volpe commented. βEveryone in the lineup had confidence that someone would come through with a major hit. Weβve been feeling great at the plate and making solid contact, so it felt like it was just a matter of time.β
At the end of the game, Volpe had managed to hit a double, steal two bases, and executed a stunning defensive play in the ninth inning, prompting the sold-out crowd of 49,354 to rise to their feet and chant his name.
When asked how this moment ranks among the highlights of his life, he replied:
βNumber one. Itβs definitely number one.β
Volpe expressed that the mere fact of playing for the Yankees in a World Series at Yankee Stadium is almost surreal to him.
He still finds it hard to believe that he is experiencing the very dream he envisioned each nightβnot only being a World Series standout but also being interviewed post-game by his childhood hero, Derek Jeter, on the FOX set.
βItβs pretty wild to think about,β Volpe said. βThis has been my dream, but it was also the dream of my friends, my cousins, probably my sister too. However, winning the World Series stands out above all else. Nothing else comes close.β
Volpeβs home run acted like a burst of energy for the team, allowing everyone to shake off their slumps. MVP Aaron Judge, who was struggling at .140 with 20 strikeouts this postseason, managed a hit in three at-bats and reached base three times without fanning. Catcher Austin Wells, who was stuck in a 4-for-43 slump, hit both a double and a home run. Second baseman Gleyber Torres contributed with a three-run homer.
The true highlight, however, was Volpe, embodying the dream of a young Yankees fan who became a genuine hero in front of his family and friends in the stands.
βI can hardly imagine it,β Wells said. βHis entire family has been Yankees fans for generations; he was there at the 2009 parade, growing up as a fan and now being the shortstop who hits a grand slam in a crucial World Series game.β
βIt doesnβt get better than that. Itβs just incredible.β
The Yankees are now looking to carry this offensive momentum into Los Angeles, with ace Gerrit Cole set to pitch Game 5 on Wednesday. Cole previously allowed just one run over six innings in Game 1 before Freeman hit a historic walk-off grand slam in the 10th inning. Additionally, their closer, Luke Weaver, will be ready to pitch since they were able to pull him after the eighth inning when they scored five runs.
βHaving Weaver available after getting him out of the game is key for us,β Rizzo stated. βThis could be a significant storyline.β
The Yankees believe theyβve overcome the toughest challenge in their quest for historic achievement.
They won their opening game.
βIβve heard Kevin Millarβs speech many times,β Rizzo shared. βWe plan to build on that momentum as we head to LA, and itβs going to be special.β
βI canβt wait to get started.β