NEW YORK — When Anthony Volpe was 8 years old and growing up in Watchung, New Jersey, the Yankees’ World Series storyline was driven by the usual cast of characters.

Derek Jeter, Andy Pettitte, Mariano Rivera and Jorge Posada were the regulars in the plot.

Volpe took it as an absorbed young fan, eventually watching the ticker tape parade in the Canyon of Heroes. He was the last in a long line of Yankees fans, starting with his great-grandfather, who served in World War II and bonded with Volpe’s grandfather over their love of the Bronx Bombers.

On Tuesday night, in a potential playoff game for the Yankees, it was Volpe’s turn to play a starring role in the franchise’s final iconic World Series moment.

With the Yankees trailing by one run, two outs and the bases loaded in the third inning of Game 4 against the Dodgers, Volpe delivered for his hometown team. The 23-year-old, who grew up less than 30 miles from Yankee Stadium, ignited the fan base with a grand slam that turned the tide for the Yankees in their 11-4 victory in front of 49,354 fans at Yankee Stadium .

“I think I almost fainted as soon as I saw him go over the fence,” Volpe said. “We just want to keep putting pressure on them, and I think everyone had confidence in the lineup that someone was going to come away with the big one.

“We had such good hitters and made such good moves with the ball that it felt like it was just a matter of time.”

Tuesday’s performance was a dream colliding with reality for Volpe, who finished 2-for-3 with a homer, a double, two runs and two stolen bases. By the ninth inning, the entire sold-out crowd was chanting his name. Volpe soaked in what he called the coolest moment of his life.

“When Anthony was hitting that ball, it was fun to see Yankee Stadium erupt,” Aaron Boone said. “It’s like they waited 48 hours to do this. Then as the game went on, there was just energy, noise, excitement. It was the game of the Yankee Stadium World Series.”

ANTONY VOLPE: New Jersey kid brings Delbarton championship spirit to Yankees World Series

Anthony Volpe reverses momentum in Game 4

The Dodgers had knocked the air out of Yankee Stadium as they took a 3-0 series lead a night earlier.

Freddie Freeman led the charge with a two-run homer after the game had barely started in the first inning. It was a near carbon copy Tuesday night as Freeman blasted another two-run home run off Luis Gil in the first period.

If the Yankees hoped to stay alive, something had to change.

In the second inning, Volpe helped the Yankees get back within one when he walked, stole second, and scored. Volpe was frustrated when he misread an Austin Wells double into right-center field space and advanced only 90 feet, but he scored on an Alex Verdugo ground ball during the next at-bat.

“It’s not a hard read, a read that we practice, a read that Little League does,” Volpe said. “But (Verdugo) got me right back. I was frustrated with myself because I feel like I have to do better, but I was confident in (Verdugo) that he was going to get me.

After Anthony Rizzo popped up on the Yankees’ first drive with the bases loaded in the third, Volpe wasted no time putting them ahead. The shortstop powered in a slider from the first pitch of the Dodgers’ Daniel Hudson and deposited it over the left field wall to give the Yankees a 5-2 lead – their first in two home games.

The team that opened the World Series had won eight straight games dating back to 2022, but Volpe provided the key separation. The Yankees broke away with a five-run eighth inning, highlighted by a three-run blast from Gleyber Torres.

“I think it was important to get an early lead tonight, and (Volpe) gave it to us with that one shot, and it was huge,” Wells said. “That allowed us to stay ahead, keep pushing and have aggressive hitters.”

Positive signs from Anthony Volpe

Boone thought there was positive momentum underneath Volpe’s average offensive numbers down the stretch.

Despite a sophomore season in which Volpe slashed .243/.293/.364 with 12 homers, 60 RBIs and scored 90 runs in 160 games, Boone saw Volpe make key adjustments.

“I think he’s grown a lot in the playoffs,” Boone said before the game. “Not surprised by the mental strength he showed. Hopefully this is also a little stepping stone for him to grow on the offensive side of the ball as well.”

Entering Game 4, Volpe was hitting .244/.380/.268 with a double, six runs, two RBIs and three stolen bases in the postseason. He left the night with the biggest moment and biggest match of his young career. But there is still room to realize other childhood dreams.

“I hope when we win the World Series and I’m with family, we can all think about everything,” Volpe said. “It was just a big game. We just wanted to go 1-0 today, win today and see where that takes us.”

A moment for newcomer Austin Wells

Volpe wasn’t the only Yankees player to hit his first World Series home run Tuesday night.

Wells’ introduction to the postseason had been marked by difficulties. The rookie catcher entered Tuesday night with four hits in 43 at-bats and found himself on the bench for Game 3 Monday night.

But Wells bounced back, going 2 for 3 with a homer, a double, an RBI and two runs. When the Dodgers got back to 5-4 in the fifth, the 25-year-old launched a 384-foot solo home run off Landon Knack into the second deck in right field.

“I just tried to slow down and have fun,” Wells said. “I didn’t put too much pressure on any pitch, any counts, any at-bats. So I just went up there and tried to have a good swing and really slow him down.”

The Yankees catcher said he felt the pressure ease after the team lost three games following Monday’s 4-2 loss. On Tuesday, he and close friend Volpe played a key role in helping the Yankees regain some momentum heading into their final game at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday.

This article was originally published on NorthJersey.com: Watchung NJ’s Anthony Volpe powers Yankees’ win over Dodgers in Game 4