Game 1 of the World Series certainly delivered. The first game between the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers took place on Friday night at Dodger Stadium.
Gerrit Cole toed the rubber for the Yankees and Jack Flaherty got the nod for the Dodgers in a terrific battle of starting pitchers. Both pitchers went into the sixth inning and gave up a combined three runs and nine hits.
Game 1 even included extra innings and a walk-off hit. In the bottom of the 10th inning, Dodgers star Freddie Freeman hit a game-winning grand slam off Nestor Cortes to give LA the 6-3 victory.
It was quite the scene at Dodger Stadium as fans celebrated the home run by Freeman.
To make things even more special, the call by Joe Davis reminded fans of the legendary Vin Scully.
Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman (5) celebrates with teammates.
Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images
“Homage to Vin Scully’s call in 1988 — “she is gone!” — poetic. @Joe_Davis picking right up where @Buck left off. What an epic call,” Mike Watts wrote on X.
MLB Metrics X account also posted the video of Scully’s call of Kirk Gibson’s hit with Joe Davis’ on the other side.
Kansas City Royals play-by-play man Jake Stevens also pointed out the same thing.
“Play-by-play symmetry between Joe Davis & Vin Scully on a pair of World Series Game 1 walk-off homers to right field at Dodger Stadium, 36 years apart. Poetic & perfect.”
MLB Network insider Jon Morosi also was amazed at the call by Davis.
“The @Joe_Davis call — “She is gone!” — was absolutely perfect, weaving in the memories of 1988 and parallels between the hobbled sluggers. That. Really. Happened,” Morosi wrote.
“Wow — what an iconic play call. Ode to Vin Scully off the cuff. Damn, sports are the best,” another fan wrote.
“I cannot stress this enough, Joe Davis absolutely nailed this call,” another fan wrote. “Perfect in every way. He referenced the famous Vin call of Kirk Gibson’s homer in the best way possible. This will go down as one of the best play-by-play calls in any sport.”
The original video by MLB had over three million views just two hours after the hit. An “Awful Announcing” video of Gibson’s hit and Scully’s original call had over 200,000 views in just two hours, so this play call by Davis is circulating a ton online.
It was quite the moment for fans everywhere, and this is one of those plays and calls that will be remembered for a long time.
