The Los Angeles Dodgers took a 2-0 lead in the World Series on Saturday, but they were left with the biggest possible question mark as the series heads to New York.
The good for the Dodgers was a stellar start from Yoshinobu Yamamoto against the New York Yankees, while Tommy Edman, Teoscar Hernández and Game 1 hero Freddie Freeman all homered off Yankees starter Carlos Rodón in a 4-2 victory.
Yamamoto’s lone hit allowed was a home run from Juan Soto in the third inning. After that, he retired 11 straight batters to finish his biggest start since arriving stateside. His final line: 6 1/3 innings, 1 hit, 1 earned run, 2 walks and 4 strikeouts. Just about every one of his pitches was working, particularly a splitter that drew four whiffs on seven swings.
The bad for the Dodgers came in the seventh inning, when superstar Shohei Ohtani sustained a painful-looking shoulder injury while attempting to steal second base. He left the field with a trainer, and the Dodgers, plus the MLB league office, will hold their breath as Ohtani’s shoulder is examined.
Manager Dave Roberts referred to the injury postgame as a “little” subluxation. He said the team will do more tests, but early signs were positive.
Dave Roberts says Shohei Ohtani has a “little” subluxation of left shoulder and will undergo testing. But he said the initial strength tests were good and they’ll do more tests, but says early signs seem positive.
— Russell Dorsey (@Russ_Dorsey1) October 27, 2024
Things got even more stressful for the Dodgers when the Yankees got the tying run on base in the ninth against Blake Treinen, but Treinen struck out Anthony Volpe, and then Alex Vesia came in and got the final out of the game to secure a 4-2 win after a lot of Yankee traffic in the final frame.
No matter the tension, a 2-0 lead in the World Series is the better place to be, even with one of the game’s best players potentially injured. It’s the Yankees’ backs that are now against the wall, and they’ll need a win with Clarke Schmidt on the mound against Walker Buehler in Game 3 on Monday.
Here’s how it all went down on Yahoo Sports:
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Now, the series heads to New York for Game 3, with the Yankees in as must-win of a situation as it can be without elimination on the line.
They’ll have Clarke Schmidt on the mound against Walker Buehler on Monday at Yankee Stadium.
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Alex Vesia celebrates harder than anyone on the Dodgers. It was no different after he got out of a bases-loaded, ninth-inning jam in the World Series.
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The Dodgers lead the World Series, 2 games to 0
When teams win the first 2 games of a best-of-7 at home …
They’ve won 50 of 61 in all best-of-7’s
They’ve won 32 of 39 in the World Series— Jayson Stark (@jaysonst) October 27, 2024
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Unsurprisingly, Vegas quite likes the Dodgers’ chances to close out their eighth World Series title.
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FINAL: Dodgers 4, Yankees 2
Alex Vesia gets out of it with a Trevino flyout. And breathe.
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Treinen, on his 33rd pitch of the inning, strikes out Anthony Volpe. Dave Roberts finally pulls him and brings in Alex Vesia with the game on the line. The Yankees respond by pinch-hitting Jose Trevino for Austin Wells.
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The Dodgers keeping Blake Treinen in this game, with Alex Vesia warmed in the bullpen, is absolutely bizarre. Dave Roberts is betting on his top bullpen arm, and it’s going to be ugly if it goes against him.
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Anthony Rizzo gets hit by a pitch for the second time tonight.
The bases are loaded with Yankees. Still just one out.
This game was ALL Dodgers, and suddenly the Yankees are threatening to flip the script.
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An eight-pitch battle between Treinen and Jazz Chisholm Jr. ends with a single to right.
The Yankees have two baserunners, still with one out.
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Stanton lasers a ball down the third-base line. It hits the bag and bounces in the air, staying fair. Soto scores to make it 4-2.
Super weird bounce on that one, but the Yankees will take it. They need two more runs before two more outs.
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Judge strikes out swinging AGAIN. His at-bats are starting to be tough to watch.
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Soto goes to second on a wild pitch. We have a Yankee in scoring position.
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Soto bounces one off the right-field wall for his second big hit of the night — and the Yankees’ second hit of the night.
One on, nobody out. The Yankees need three runs.
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Blake Treinen is in to try to get the final three outs to close out a 4-1 Dodgers victory.
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Ohtani injury looms large for Dodgers
Stealing bases had been the story of Ohtani’s season, as he went from a fast but inefficient baserunner to one of the best in baseball in his first season with the Dodgers. He made MLB history with the first 50-50 season, finishing the year with 59 steals on 63 attempts, but the postseason was another story for that skill.
The play on which he was injured was only his second attempt of the playoffs, with no successes.
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Initial word on Ohtani is shoulder injury
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Mark Leiter Jr. is in for the bottom of the eighth for the Yankees.
He gets three quick outs from Teoscar, Freeman and Edman. This one is wrapping up in a hurry.
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Michael Kopech pitches a quick, 1-2-3 top of the eighth to temporarily right the ship.
Yankees are down to their final three outs to avoid an 0-2 hole in this series.
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Ohtani walked off the field with a trainer. It appears that he landed badly on his left arm during his slide.
He was already unlikely to have another at-bat in the game, so we will wait to see what the Dodgers share postgame. That could’ve been the biggest moment of this game.
