Nobody likes Mondays, but here’s something to lift your spirits — it’s the 2024 Sports Equinox! All five major pro sports are in action tonight with 23 games over a six-hour span.
Did you miss any of the non-stop action during the final weekend of October sports? From a walk-off grand slam in the World Series on Friday (Freddie!) to a must-see Hail Mary on Sunday (Hail Maryland!), we’ve got it all.
Letter Rip!
SPORTS
The Sports Equinox 🌔
The stars align tonight for the 2024 Sports Equinox. All five major pro sports are in action — NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL and MLS. To celebrate, we’re giving away two (2) $100 gift cards to Dick’s Sporting Goods. One will go to the winner of our Sports Equinox Mega Parlay (below). The other will be selected via random drawing for anyone who refers a friend to The Sportsletter before tonight's games. Take a shot at greatness! (Picks and referrals must be made before 6:00 pm ET)
Photo: Media News Group / Pasadena-Star via Getty Images
Freddie Freeman’s Game 1 Walk-Off Grand Slam & Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s Game 2 Gem Give Dodgers 2-0 Lead in World Series
There was no World Series action on Sunday, but we’ve got you covered in case you missed Games 1 and 2 on Friday and Saturday. You probably caught a glimpse of that 🚨 historic walk-off grand slam from Freddie Freeman in Game 1. We’ll tell you about it. Yoshinobu Yamamoto brought the heat in Game 2, and the Dodgers lead the Fall Classic (2-0) before tonight’s Game 3 in the Bronx. We’ll also update you on Shohei Ohtani’s injury. Let’s get caught up:
Friday night’s Game 1 was a defensive battle between Gerrit Cole and Jack Flaherty. The game went into extras where the Yankees scored in the top of the 10th (3-2), but the Dodgers loaded the bases in the bottom of the 10th with two outs and Freddie Freeman at the dish. He rocked Nester Cortes deep to right field and caused an earthquake at Dodger Stadium. Believe it or not, it was the first walk-off grand slam in World Series history.
Game 2 on Saturday was a little less frenetic at the end. Yoshinobu Yamamoto twirled a one-run gem in almost seven innings of work while the Dodgers scored four runs on three homers — Tommy Edman (solo), Teoscar Hernandez (two-run) and Freeman again (solo). Saturday was bittersweet for L.A. though. Shohei Ohtani injured his shoulder on a slide into second base. He left the game, but it sounds like he’ll be available for Game 3 tonight in New York.
Commanders-Bears Battle of Rookie QBs Ends With Jayden Daniels’ 52-Yard Hail Mary (in Maryland!)
They may be called the Washington Commanders, but they play football in Landover, Maryland. Hail Mary-land! I couldn’t help myself. Sunday's rookie quarterback showdown between the top two picks — No. 1 Caleb Williams (Bears) and No. 2 Jayden Daniels (Commanders) — was one to remember. After the Commanders blew a late lead to the Bears, they responded with the greatest play of the 2024 NFL season to date. Trailing (15-12) with two seconds left and the ball near midfield, Daniels scrambled around to buy time before uncorking a 52-yard Hail Mary to the goal line. The pass was tipped, then hauled in by Noah Brown. The ball traveled well over 60 yards in the air, and the play we're dubbing the “Hail Maryland” will circulate on highlight tapes for football eternity.
Fun Fact: Sunday’s Hail Mary was the fourth-longest game-winning touchdown play (as time expired) in the Super Bowl era (1970). I watched it live. My jaw dropped. If you didn’t see it, do yourself a favor…
