BRONX, NY – Even the mystique of Yankee Stadium can't slow down the Los Angeles Dodgers.

In their first World Series game in the Bronx in 15 years, the New York Yankees suffered an official setback with a 4-2 loss to the Dodgers, which left them 3-0 in the series.

Freddie Freeman continues to haunt the Yankees as his two-run home run in the first inning was the big hit on a night dominated by Dodgers pitching. Walker Buehler and six Los Angeles relievers limited New York to just four hits in eight innings before Alex Verdugo hit a consolation two-run home run off Michael Kopech in the bottom of the ninth.

The Yankees will try to stave off a win, an elimination and a second Los Angeles title in four years in Game 4 at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday. In 40 previous World Series appearances, they were defeated only twice (1963, 1976).

Buehler continued his team's trend of strong starts in this World Series, pitching five scoreless innings and limiting the Yankees to just two hits and two walks with five strikeouts. It was a far more productive night than his counterpart, Yankees starter Clarke Schmidt, who lasted just 2.2 innings and allowed three runs on two hits with four walks and three strikeouts.

Freeman stayed red-hot in the World Series game with his third home run in as many games, bringing in Schmidt in the top of the first to give the Dodgers an immediate 2-0 lead after Ohtani led off the night.

In the 1-2 count, Schmidt ran up and down a 93 mph cutter that Freeman was able to turn on. He has now scored in five straight World Series games, starting with the 2021 Fall Classic when he played for the Atlanta Braves.

The visitors made it a three-run game in the top of the third when Mookie Betts struck out a nine-pitch hit before hitting a single to right field off Soto and Tommy Edman scored from second after Leading off the inning was a walk and advance on a fielder's choice.

Schmidt's night ended with two outs in the third when he walked Max Muncy to load the bases with two outs, but reliever Mark Leiter got Will Smith to ground the ball to limit the damage.

Leiter put runners on the corners with no outs in the fourth, but was ultimately saved by a strange call from Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, who had one of his best hitters, Edman, lay down a ball for a squeeze play.

The New York reliever was able to pounce on the ball between the mound and home plate and flip the ball to Jose Trevino, who knocked down Gavin Lux at the plate. Nestor Cortes — the southpaw who enabled Freeman's walk-off grand slam in Game 1 — then struck out Ohtani and got Betts to line up.

Stanton finally got the Yankees' first hit with one out in the fourth inning and lined a double to left to finally put the hosts in business. But Bühler remained resolute with the help of his defense.

With two outs, Anthony Volpe singled to left, but Teoscar Hernandez managed to get the slow Stanton out of bounds at the plate for the final out.

The Dodgers tacked on reliever Jake Cousins ​​in the fifth inning when Enrique Hernandez singled in Gavin Lux after he reached on a hit-by-pitch and stole second.

Although desperation overtook them, the Yankees' offense continued to fail. They only had six at-bats all night with runners in scoring position while eight men remained on base.

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