Dodgers Take Commanding World Series Lead Over Yankees

The New York Yankees were supposed to have the advantage in starting pitching. They were supposed to have more power than the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Bronx Bombers, even with their fundamental flaws, were supposed to make this an epic World Series.

Well, two games in, and you wonder if it’s going to be two more games and out. The Dodgers overpowered the Yankees, 4-2, on Saturday, and lead the World Series 2-0, confident when they return back to Los Angeles from New York, they’ll have a World Series trophy in their carry-on luggage.

The Dodgers, who came into the World Series with only three healthy starters, have outpitched the Yankees, with Yoshinobu Yamamoto never giving the Yankees a chance.

Yamamoto completely overwhelmed the Yankees, giving up just one hit in 6⅓ shutout innings, his longest outing since June 7 when he pitched seven shutout innings against these same Yankees.

The only mistake he made was trying to sneak a fastball past Juan Soto  in the third inning, which ended up going 386 feet into the Yankees’ bullpen. Yamamoto left to a raucous standing ovation by the crowd of 52,725.

The outing was even more painful for the Yankees considering they were one of the finalists for Yamamoto’s services when he left Japan last winter, only to be outbid by the Dodgers’ 12-year, $325 million offer.

Yankees vs Dodgers in World Series

It’s the 12th Fall Classic meeting between the Dodgers and Yankees, by far the most prolific of any postseason matchup. But this will mark the first meeting between these two teams since 1981. The Dodgers won the championship that season, but the Yankees have won eight of the previous 11 matchups. Since the Dodgers moved to Los Angeles, they are 2-2 in World Series against New York.

The Dodgers earned home-field advantage throughout the postseason by finishing with 98 wins, the best record in baseball. The Yankees won 94 games, the best record in the American League and third-best record overall, with the 95-win Phillies in between.

The Yankees beat the Guardians in five games in the American League Championship Series, clinching the pennant on Saturday night in Cleveland. It’s the first trip to the World Series for New York since 2009.

New York Yankees Reach First World Series Since 2009

Juan Soto smashed a three-run home run in the 10th inning on Saturday that lifted the New York Yankees over Cleveland 5-2 and into their first World Series since 2009.

The 25-year-old Dominican outfielder crushed a fastball from Cleveland pitcher Hunter Gaddis over the centerfield wall to score the deciding runs in a thriller that sent the Yankees into their record 41st World Series overall.

Earlier on, Giancarlo Stanton had hit a two-run homer in the sixth to level the match at 2-2.

“It’s the best feeling in the game whenever you win and take your team to the World Series,” said Soto. “It’s the best feeling you can ever have. That’s what we play for.

“We did a really good job since day one. We’ve been working hard. Now we’re the best team in the American League.”