Dodgers Win Two of Three Against Yankees in Potential World Series Preview
The 2024 World Series isn't until October, but a potential preview for the highly anticipated postseason event took place in the Bronx this weekend. The Los Angeles Dodgers flexed their high-powered pitching and offense, winning two out of three games on the road. The New York Yankees were without superstar Juan Soto due to injury and clearly struggled without him despite winning the final game of the series. It was a series full of excitement, talent, and drama as two of the hottest teams in baseball battled it out at Yankee Stadium.
The first game was a pitchers' duel between Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Cody Poteet. Despite big hits from Aaron Judge and Anthony Volpe, the game remained scoreless after nine innings. Yamamoto went seven innings, gave up two hits, walked two batters, and threw seven strikeouts. Poteet only went four innings and two-thirds, walking three batters and retiring one. The Yankees relied on their bullpen to close out the game, but ultimately Teoscar Hernandez hit a game-winning two-run double off Ian Hamilton in the top of the 11th. Judge scored Volpe with the next at-bat, but it was too late as the Dodgers edged out the 2-1 win.
The second game of the series was not as close as the first. Teoscar Hernandez continued his offensive contributions with a solo homer in the top of the second. Austin Wells then scored Gleyber Torres after grounding out, but Shohei Ohtani put the Dodgers back in front with an RBI single in the top of the third. With the next at-bat, Judge took 25-year-old pitcher Gavin Stone deep with a homer to left-center field, which was the last time the Yankees kept it a close game.
Kike Hernandez rocketed a homer off Nestor Cortes, with Teoscar Hernandez following with a grand slam in the top of the eighth to put the Dodgers up 8-2. The Yankees bullpen could not handle the Dodgers' offensive threats, ending the night with an 11-3 defeat. Cortes was credited with the loss and fell to 3-5 on the season. Despite their 10 hits, the Yankees pitching led to the ugly loss as they suffered their first series defeat since losing three out of four against the Baltimore Orioles in early May. It was also the first time the Yankees allowed more than eight runs this season and their largest margin of defeat in 2024.
Luis Gil started on the mound in the series' final game, looking to help the Yankees avoid the sweep. Oswaldo Cabrera replaced the struggling Anthony Rizzo in the lineup and proved to Aaron Boone that he made the right decision, smashing one to left field in the bottom of the third. Judge followed with an RBI double, giving the Yankees an early 2-0 lead before Mookie Betts hit a two-out two-run double to even it up. Gil ended the night with five strikeouts and three earned runs after Teoscar Hernandez added to his impressive resume against the Yankees with a solo homer.
With the Dodgers in the lead, the Yankees needed someone to step up with Alex Verdugo and Judge on base. Trent Grisham, the replacement outfielder for Soto, unexpectedly smashed a three-run homer to put the Yankees back in front for the rest of the game. The Dodgers pulled a run back off a sac fly, but Judge ended the night with a rocket to left field for his 24th home run of the season. Clay Holmes closed out the 6-4 win as the Yankees avoided the series sweep. The Yankees will next travel to Kansas City for a tough road series against the high-flying Kansas City Royals, while the Dodgers will return home for a series against the Texas Rangers.
