2024-10-27 12:30:03
LOS ANGELES – Silent on Saturday night, except for a Juan Soto homer in Game 2, the Yankees finally awoke in the ninth inning.
But a rally started by Soto fell short, and the Yankees are headed back to the Bronx trailing the Los Angeles Dodgers two games to none in the 2024 World Series.
Dodgers starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto pitched brilliantly into the seventh inning, while Aaron Judge’s frigid October continued in a 4-2 Los Angeles victory at Dodger Stadium.
Yet, the Dodgers are still dealing with a significant scare of their own heading into Game 3 on Monday night at Yankee Stadium, with the uncertain status of superstar Shohei Ohtani.
Caught stealing second base to end the seventh, Ohtani rolled in pain and came off the field holding his left arm.
Trailing by three runs entering the ninth, the Yankees scored a run off Blake Treinen but lefty Alex Vesia entered and retired pinch-hitter Jose Trevino on a long fly to center to end it.
Here’s our analysis throughout the Yankees’ 4-2 loss in Game 2:
Dodgers reliever Blake Treinen’s 33rd and final pitch of the night is a sweeper Anthony Volpe chases for strike three.
Here’s lefty Alex Vesia to try to get the final out and a two-game World Series lead…
…vs. pinch-hitter Jose Trevino, for Austin Wells. Trevino flies out on the first pitch to end Game 2.
This crowd is imploring Blake Treinen to finish this game, but it’s bases loaded, Volpe up, and the go-ahead run at first base with one out.
All of a sudden, the Yankees – silent except for Soto until the ninth – have made this one interesting. And Soto started this rally with a single off the wall in right.
Still waiting on Ohtani news. Could be his shoulder, and now it’s Blake Treinen in for the save, facing Soto, Judge and Stanton with a 4-1 lead…
…and now it’s 4-2, with Soto and Stanton (RBI) getting hits around a wild pitch, and Judge striking out for a third time tonight (0-for-4).
Here’s Rizzo up with the tying runs on first and second…and he’s hit by a 2-2 pitch. Bases loaded for Volpe.
Caught stealing at second base, Shohei Ohtani has just left the field holding his left wrist to end the Dodger seventh. For Dodger Nation, this is hold-your-breath stuff.
Ohtani was guided back to the Dodger dugout after jamming his left hand into the dirt on his slide. LA still leads 4-1. More to come.
Now, Dodgers fans might wonder why manager Dave Roberts lifted a rolling Yoshinobu Yamamoto with one out in the seventh, with a 4-1 lead.
Yamamoto is done after 86 pitches, yielding just one hit – the Soto homer – and one walk with four Ks.
On June 7 at Yankee Stadium, Yamamoto tossed seven scoreless innings, yielded just two hits and two walks and fanned seven in a no-decision – a game LA won 2-1 in 11 innings.
After that performance, Yamamoto was lifted early from his next start and didn’t appear again until September (four starts) due to a triceps issue.
Yamamoto threw a season-high 106 pitches in that June start against the Yanks. The most he’d thrown since that in the regular season was 79 pitches.
Yamamoto is throwing a one-hitter through the sixth inning, and Aaron Judge needs a reset.
Judge (0-for-3) strikes out for the second time tonight, the 10th straight Yankee retired by Yamamoto.
In this AB, Judge took a 2-0 fastball right down the middle and whiffed on a 2-2 splitter. He’s now 6-for-39 (.154) this postseason with 18 strikeouts.
Since the Juan Soto homer in the third, Yoshinobu Yamamoto has retired seven straight Yankees, taking a 4-1 Dodgers lead into the last of the fifth.
And make it two straight Dodgers starters in this World Series coveted by the Yanks; they tried up until the final hour of the trade deadline to land Game 1 starter Jack Flaherty and they heavily scouted and pursued Yamamoto.
The side-arming Tim Hill enters for Jake Cousins with one out and a Dodger on first in the fifth…
…and he instantly gets Freddie Freeman to pop out, further fueling the argument for those who wanted Hill in Game 1 vs. Freddie Freeman instead of Nestor Cortes.
A day later, Aaron Boone did not regret that decision.
“After the fact, I feel like that was the best move, with one out (in the 10th),’’ Boone said. Ultimately not allowing Luke Weaver to start the 10th is “the one I wrestled with.’’
You’d figure that the entire bullpen is available tonight, including Cortes if needed (he threw two pitches in Game 1) with Sunday as a travel day.
Of the five relievers used by Aaron Boone in Game 1, Luke Weaver (19) threw the most pitches.
Carlos Rodon is back out for the fourth and begins by striking out Max Muncy…a nd that’s all. He was just out there for the lefty-lefty matchup.
Here comes Jake Cousins who took the loss in Game 1, allowing two of the baserunners that preceded Freddie Freeman’s game-winning grand slam in the 10th. Cousins threw 14 pitches last night.
On the third-inning homers by LA: Teoscar Hernandez’s shot was on a 1-0, 97-mph fastball. Freeman blasted a 3-2, 97-mph fastball.
Dodger Stadium is rocking again, as Freddie Freeman sends one into the twilight. It’s 4-1 LA in the third and Rodon has now surrendered three homers.
Rodon gave up three homers in a game twice in the regular season, at Baltimore on May 2, and against Atlanta on June 21. In each case, he did not pitch beyond the fourth inning.
After Carlos Rodon gets Ohtani to chase on a swinging strikeout, Mookie Betts’ two-out single is followed by Teoscar Hernandez’s two-run homer to right-center and the Dodgers are back up, 3-1 in the third.
Juan Soto has just tied it here with a third-inning solo homer to right off Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
It’s another heavy Soto at-bat, six pitches, as he gets behind 1-2, fouls off a 2-2 slider then launches a 2-2 fastball 386 feet – his fourth homer this postseason.
And he followed up by screaming in celebration toward the Yankee dugout, imploring them to follow his lead. Soto is loving every minute of this stage, as you knew he would, and delivering.
Judge flies out to end the third.
Fresh off his NLCS MVP vs. the Mets, Tommy Edman’s solo homer to start the second inning off Carlos Rodon gets the Dodgers on the board 1-0.
Edman pulled a 2-0, 94-mph fastball over the fence. Rodon gave up 31 homers in 32 starts this year, and the third homer he’s yielded in four 2024 playoff starts.
Carlos Rodon pitches around a Mookie Betts single, and it’s a scoreless first inning. As you’d imagine, Freddie Freeman got a huge ovation before popping up the third out. Yamamoto pitches around a walk in the NYY second.
More on Judge: He’s now 6-for-37 with 17 strikeouts this postseason, though Aaron Boone said he was encouraged by the captain’s last AB in Game 1 – popping out vs. Blake Treinen.
“Thought he had some easy takes on the slider, thought he got off a great swing on the pitch he popped up – just missed it,’’ said Boone, hoping that AB would be “a springboard’’ to success tonight.
Judge swings through a full-count slider, Giancarlo Stanton pops out, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto strands a runner at second base to end the Yanks’ first.
The hunt for any October traction continues for Judge, who struck out three times in Game 1 and saw Juan Soto intentionally walked in front of him in the ninth (Judge popped up).
So much of the Yankees’ success revolves around power, and they’ve received timely home runs during this postseason.
But on the World Series stage, facing their most potent opponent yet, Yankees’ shortcomings aren’t as easy to overcome with one big swing.
The Dodgers used one huge swing by Freddie Freeman – a 10th-inning grand slam that erased a one-run Yankees lead, lifting the Dodgers to a 6-3 win in Game 1.
COLUMN:How the Yankees ended up on the wrong side of a classic World Series Game 1
Now, the Yankees are left to quickly regroup for Saturday night’s Game 2 at Dodger Stadium, but “we’ve been doing it all year,’’ Yankees third baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. said.
“We still feel we’ve got this in the bag,’’ said Chisholm Jr., “not (being) cocky, but we feel confident to go out there and win four games.’’
The Yanks are sending starter Carlos Rodon against another pitcher they coveted, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who signed as a free agent after a standout career in Japan.
Rodon is coming off starting the Yankees’ clinching AL Championship Series Game 5 last Saturday at Cleveland, and this heavy Dodgers lineup presents a unique challenge.
“I know they have good hitters, but we’re here for a reason,’’ Rodon said Friday. “I think our lineup is just as good.
“Honestly, I think we’re better, but I’m biased,’’ said Rodon. “I’m supposed to get those guys out. That’s what I’m paid for.’’
Follow here for our live analysis throughout Game 2 of the World Series:
SP: Carlos Rodon, LHP
SP: Yoshinobu Yamamoto, RHP
Date: Saturday, Oct. 26
Time: 8:08 p.m.
TV: FOX
Watch Yankees vs Dodgers live on Fubo
Game 1
Dodgers 6, Yankees 3
Game 2
Saturday, Oct. 26
Yankees at Dodgers, 8:08 p.m., FOX
Game 3
Monday, Oct. 28
Dodgers at Yankees, 8:08 p.m., FOX
Game 4
Tuesday, Oct. 29
Dodgers at Yankees, 8:08 p.m., FOX
Game 5 (if necessary)
Dodgers at Yankees, 8:08 p.m., FOX
Wednesday, Oct. 30
Dodgers at Yankees, 8:08 p.m., FOX
Game 6 (if necessary)
Friday, Nov. 1
Yankees at Dodgers, 8:08 p.m., FOX
Game 7 (if necessary)
Saturday, Nov. 2
Yankees at Dodgers, 8:08 p.m., FOX
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