NEW YORK (AP) — After all this buildup, it’s been all Dodgers so far.

Freddie Freeman homered for the third straight game and Walker Buehler threw another World Series gem as Los Angeles beat New York Yankees down 4-2 Monday night for a 3-0 lead in the Fall Classic.

With superstar Shohei Ohtani playing despite a partially dislocated left shoulder, The Dodgers moved within one win of a surprising upset in this much-hyped matchup between the traditional powers.

“Another win. That’s all I care about right now,” Freeman said.

Teoscar Hernández threw out a runner from home plate with an accurate single to left field. Mookie Betts and Kiké Hernández each delivered an RBI single, and the Dodgers chased Yankees starter Clarke Schmidt in the third inning.

Buehler and six relievers combined for a five-hitter for Los Angeles, on the verge of its second championship in five years and eighth in franchise history.

“Walker Buehler, he’s done that his whole career in big games, big moments,” Freeman said. “Hate yourself when you need it.”

Freeman’s two-run shot with three batters gave him one home run in five consecutive World Series games dating back to 2021 with Atlanta, tying a major league record set by George Springer with Houston.

Looking much healthier after a sprained right ankle slowed him earlier this postseason, Freeman connected for the first grand slam in World Series history to earn a dramatic opener in Los Angeles.

From then on, it was a one-sided battle.

Game 4 is Tuesday night at Yankee Stadium. Down to three healthy starters, the Dodgers plan for their fourth game of this postseason. Rookie righty Luis Gil is off to New York.

The only team in major league history to overcome a 3-0 deficit in a best-of-seven postseason series was the Boston Red Sox against the Yankees in the 2004 American League Championship Series.

“I hope we can be this amazing story and shock the world,” New York manager Aaron Boone said. “But now it’s about trying to get an advantage, trying to grab one game and force another, and then from there. But first we have to get one.”

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts helped spark that amazing Red Sox comeback with a crucial stolen base.

“Don’t talk about it. Wrong guy. Way too soon,” he said. “I don’t want to give away any secrets, but on the other hand, I just think we have to stay focused, be urgent.”

In the 11 previous World Series meetings between these old October rivals, the lone feat was accomplished by the Dodgers in 1963 behind Hall of Fame pitchers Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale.

This was the only time the Dodgers had a 3-0 lead in a World Series.

New York hasn’t been swept in a Fall Classic since 1976 by the Cincinnati Reds. But on all five occasions when they have fallen behind 3-0 in a best-of-seven postseason series, the Yankees have lost Game 4.

Los Angeles has won seven consecutive World Series games against the Yankees dating back to its 1981 crown.

It marked the first series game at Yankee Stadium since New York won its 27th title in 2009 against Philadelphia. But a homecoming didn’t help him derail Aaron Judge and the punchless bronx bombershas allowed four runs and nine hits in the last two games.

New York didn’t score until Alex Verdugo hit a two-run homer off Michael Kopech with two outs in the ninth. Kopech then retired Gleyber Torres on a grounder to end it.

Buehler allowed two hits in five innings. His only previous win this year during an injury-riddled season was May 18 against Cincinnati.

The two-time All-Star improved to 4-4 in 18 career postseason starts, including a 2-0 record with a 0.50 ERA in three World Series outings. He gave up one run and seven hits with 22 strikeouts in 18 innings in those assignments — Game 3s against Boston (2018), Tampa Bay (2020) and the Yankees.

“It’s strange. For me, I think the playoffs, the big games, that was always the only thing I really cared about,” Buehler said. “I’ve been kind of terrible all year. I think once you get to the playoffs, the adrenaline, I think whatever fear I had about my elbow or trying to throw a certain pitch or whatever goes away because it’s all now, it’s all gone. I think it helped me.”

After the Yankees struggled at the plate during two losses in Los Angeles, Boone decided not to make major changes to the lineup.

The New York players had a brief meeting in the afternoon, and a recording from the late Yankees announcer Bob Sheppard featured five-time World Series champion Derek Jeter throwing out the ceremonial first pitch. Bronx-born rapper Fat Joe fired up the sold-out crowd of 49,368 with a pregame performance on the infield.

But it was the Dodgers who got off to a fast start.

Schmidt walked Ohtani on four pitches to start the game. One out later, Freeman sent a 1-2 cutter 355 feet into the lower deck in right field for his 13th career postseason homer.

He joined Yankees outfielder Hank Bauer (1958) and Giants slugger Barry Bonds (2002) as the only players to go deep in the first three games of a World Series.

“When you go into a road park, you want to try to strike early and quiet the crowd, and we were able to do that in the first inning,” Freeman said.

Ohtani finished 0 for 3 with that walk and was crushed on the leg by a pitch. He grimaced after several swings and clutched his collar with his left hand even as he advanced from first base to protect his ailing shoulder.

But the game went well.

“The pain is gone, so I felt pretty good,” Ohtani said through a translator. “I was told to wear a device to keep my shoulder warm. So during the ceremony (before the game) and throughout the game, I wore it as recommended by the coaches. The reason I held onto myself when I was running was to make sure I wouldn’t use the same shoulder arm if I were to slip.”

No. 9 hitter Tommy Edman drew another four-pitch walk from Schmidt in the top of the third and scored on Betts’ bloop single. Kiké Hernández added an RBI single in the sixth.

Schmidt walked four in 2 2/3 innings in his third postseason start. He lost his fifth straight decision, dating back to a May 16 win in Minnesota.

New York got a runner on home plate when Edman attempted a safety bunt in the fourth, but the Dodgers made sensational defense to stop any Yankees momentum.

Betts made a grab in right field after Giancarlo Stanton doubled with one out in the fourth. Teoscar Hernández then threw all his teammates away with a perfect 94 mph throw at the plate on Anthony Volpe’s single, cutting down Stanton to preserve a 3-0 cushion.

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Gil (15-7, 3.50 ERA) got off to a postseason start, allowing two runs in four innings for a no-decision in Game 4 of the ALCS at Cleveland.

He won seven straight starts before a no-decision against the Dodgers at Yankee Stadium on June 9, when he gave up three runs in 5 1/2 innings of a 6-4 New York victory.

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