NEW YORK — Gerrit Cole managed to sway Aaron Boone into keeping him in the game for one more batter during the seventh inning on Friday.
Max Muncy was certainly grateful for that.
In the Dodgers’ 2-1 victory over the Yankees, Muncy’s crucial home run came right after Boone made a pivotal decision. Instead of bringing in Cole’s reliever while Muncy was at bat, Boone opted to stick with the Yankees’ ace. The result? Muncy launched a two-run homer that soared to the second deck.
This moment followed a walk to Mookie Betts, which prompted Boone to visit the mound. Muncy was next in line to bat, and the Yankees had left-handed pitcher Brent Headrick warming up in the bullpen, boasting a 1.58 ERA this season.
Despite that, after a brief discussion, Cole convinced Boone to let him stay on the mound. The former Cy Young award winner had already pitched six scoreless innings but ended up with two strikes against Muncy. Then, when Muncy leveled the count, Cole threw a slider right down the middle.
Muncy didn’t let the opportunity slip by. He connected perfectly, driving the ball 416 feet for his 18th homer of the season and his first since June 29th.
With that swing, the Dodgers turned a 1-0 deficit around, bouncing back behind Roki Sasaki’s impressive 5 2/3 inning performance without any earned runs.
In the eighth inning, a strong relay play involving Andy Pages, Betts, and Dalton Rushing effectively eliminated the Yankees’ best chance for a comeback.
What it means
Starting the second half of the season post-All-Star break, the Dodgers secured a significant win in this rematch of the 2024 World Series.
They now hold the best record in the majors at 62-36, improving to 31-23 in games against teams with winning records.
Who is hot
Sasaki not only dazzled on his start but also appeared to embrace the pressure of pitching in Yankee Stadium.
He struck out Paul Goldschmidt in the first inning, featuring two fastballs initially clocked at 101.8 mph and 161.7 mph—his hardest ever—before closing it out with a slider. He kept pushing, throwing 21 fastballs over 160 mph, a notable change from his previous outings as a starter.
Sasaki’s only glitch came in the fourth, where defensive support was lacking. A double from Jason Dominguez, followed by a dropped ball, allowed Dominguez to reach third. This led to another strikeout that resulted in a passed ball bringing in a run.
Other than that, Sasaki was nearly flawless, giving up just five hits, issuing one walk, and finding the strike zone on 58 of 94 pitches while recording five strikeouts.
His ERA sits at 4.98, but he displayed an unmatched dominance as a starter this time around.
Who is not?
The Dodgers’ defense is under scrutiny, particularly after Pages and Rushing’s missteps during that fourth inning contributed to the lone run scored against Sasaki.
Yet, in the eighth, they quickly redeemed themselves with a remarkable play that preserved their advantage.
It started with a walk issued to Trent Grisham, followed by reliever Alex Beshear allowing Ben Rice to hit a double. Grisham attempted to dash home, but the Dodgers’ quick response prevented him from scoring. A throw from Pages missed its mark slightly, causing Betts to intervene, resulting in a tense play at the plate where Rushing had to stretch to tag Grisham just before he slid past home plate. The Yankees challenged the call, but it stood.
To the next
The Dodgers and Yankees will continue their series on Saturday, featuring Emmett Sheehan (4-6, 4.81 ERA) facing Yankees left-hander Ryan Weathers (3-7, 4.15 ERA).
