Anthony Volpe's hometown grand slam provides the Yankees' defining moment in Game 4

NEW YORK – Anthony Volpe's jersey was caked with dirt as he fielded a grounder to shortstop before the ninth inning of Game 4 of the World Series. The New York Yankees were on the verge of a win that would keep their season alive.

Then the most exciting moment of Volpe's life occurred.

Like many kids who grew up playing baseball in the New York area, Volpe dreamed of becoming the Yankees' shortstop and a franchise icon like his hero, Derek Jeter. While the odds of such a dream coming true are nearly impossible, Volpe now lives it every day.

His deep-rooted Yankees fan base spans generations. His great-grandfather had immigrated from Italy and made a living selling fruit from a pushcart in downtown Manhattan. He later fought in World War II and returned home with shrapnel wounds. Volpe's grandfather was just 4 years old when his father went off to war, and upon his return they bonded over Yankees games on the radio. Every night the two shared stories about life and baseball to make up for lost time.

Growing up, Volpe wore number 7 in honor of his grandfather's idol, Mickey Mantle. So on Tuesday evening a dream came true for Volpe and his ancestors. He hit a grand slam in the third inning to give the Yankees a 5-2 lead over the Los Angeles Dodgers. He also stole two bases, becoming the first Yankee to hit a grand slam and steal multiple bases in a game – regular season or postseason – since none other than Mantle.

But the moment that stood out the most was when the Yankees led 11-4 in the ninth inning. Nearly 50,000 fans at Yankee Stadium erupted and chanted “Vol-pe!” Vol-pe! Vol-pe!” He turned to the Bleacher Creatures and greeted them, trying to maintain his composure. Deep down, the 23-year-old was experiencing the highlight of his life's journey.

“Number one,” Volpe shouted with pure joy. “Definitely number one.”

Yankee Stadium hadn't erupted like it did on Tuesday in 15 years, not since Game 6 of the 2009 World Series. Shortly after that win, 8-year-old Volpe watched the championship parade with his family and dreamed of one day walking through the canyon of Heroes while fans chanted his name like he did for Jeter.

Fifteen years later, on the set of Fox's postgame show, Jeter playfully mocked Volpe, saying he should have been at school instead of at the parade.

But given the Yankees' 3-1 loss in the World Series and the history against them, Volpe admitted he didn't fully grasp the significance of Tuesday night.

“If we win the World Series and I'm with my family, hopefully we can think about everything,” Volpe said. “It was just a big game. We wanted to win 1-0 today and see where it takes us.”

As a child, Volpe imagined nights like Tuesday “probably every night.” He doesn't assume that this dream was shared by his friends, his cousins ​​and his sister Olivia. But winning the World Series was always his ultimate goal.

Anthony Volpe could only dream of nights like Tuesday, but this time he made it a reality. (Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

“Nothing else compares,” Volpe said. “So there is still a lot to do.”

Austin Wells, Volpe's best friend on the team, felt the ground shake as Volpe hit his grand slam. The two had often talked about what that moment would feel like if they reached this stage together.

Wells spent countless nights at Volpe's childhood home, poring over old Yankees footage and imagining the electric atmosphere of an October crowd at Yankee Stadium. He experienced it on Tuesday, hitting a solo home run into the second deck to extend the Yankees' lead to 6-4. He had previously hit a double with Volpe at second base; Although Volpe's base-running error may have cost the Yankees an extra run, it ultimately didn't matter as the offense eventually broke through against the Dodgers' bullpen.

Los Angeles chose not to use its high-leverage relievers because it assumed it was certain to win one of the next three games, eliminating a loss in Game 4. However, the Yankees faced a must-win scenario. If the Yankees make a comeback, it will certainly merit its own Netflix documentary, like the Red Sox documentary now on the streaming platform, and the offensive explosion led by Volpe's grand slam in Game 4 should be the starting point.

new York @Yankees SS @Volpe_Anthony joins our show to talk about his big Grand Slam and his performance #WorldSeries Game 4!@KevinBurkhardt | @AROD | @DavidOrtiz | @DerekJeter pic.twitter.com/m4ud4dmum3

– FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 30, 2024

“We were down 2-0, but we still said, 'Hey, this isn't going to be easy, but this is what we're made for,'” said Jazz Chisholm Jr. “Who doesn't want to make history? I love writing history. I love writing my name in the history books.”

After Game 4, Volpe spent a few moments with the Fox postgame crew, where David Ortiz, who was well versed in comebacks from 3-0 deficits, gave Volpe a T-shirt featuring Big Papi in a Red Sox jersey with the caption, “My Dawg!” Volpe laughed and insisted that he would never wear it, knowing that donning Boston clothes would be sacrilege.

But even more meaningful than the T-shirt were Jeter's words on set. Just as he idolized Jeter, countless New York kids today aspire to be like Volpe, dreaming of one day hitting a World Series grand slam at Yankee Stadium as the franchise's shortstop.

And if they're lucky, maybe one day they'll tell the story of how that grand slam led to baseball's immortality.

(Top photo: Sarah Stier / Getty Images)