The Los Angeles Dodgers fell to the New York Yankees 6-3 on Saturday, tying the series at one heading into the finale on Sunday Night Baseball. Michael Grove looked sharp in his return to the mound (outside of two mistakes), while Gerrit Cole dominated before an early exit made the game interesting.
Also, the Dodgers may be in the market for a new outfield wall, but we’ll get to that later.
Let’s get into the highlights of Saturday’s nationally televised game.
The Yankees struck first in the second inning off of Grove, courtesy of a Jake Bauers two-run home run (remember the name).
In the bottom of the second, the Dodgers got one back, thanks to a David Peralta bloop double. Yankees 2, Dodgers 1.
In the top of the fourth, though, it was Bauers’ turn, and he came through again. He hit his second two-run home run of the game off Grove, and the Yankees took a 4-1 lead.
Grove’s night was done after five innings and he pitched very well, outside of two mistakes two Bauers. There’s a lot of good stuff to build upon in the future, though, especially his major uptick in velocity and whiff rate.
Michael Grove looks electric right now.
His fastball has topped at 98.1 mph and he has four strikeouts and 11 swings-and-misses through three innings.
Outside of one mistake to Jake Bauers he has dominated this Yankees lineup. https://t.co/QqPvndeUTK
— Noah Camras (@noahcamras) June 3, 2023
The Yankees got another one in the top of the sixth, as Aaron Judge took Shelby Miller deep to leadoff the inning. That was hardly the most impressive thing Judge did on Saturday, though.
The Dodgers bats were silent until the seventh inning, when Cole was removed from the game after just 80 pitches. The Dodgers wasted no time getting to the reliever, LHP Wandy Peralta, going single, RBI triple, walk before he got removed from the game.
Aaron Boone took out Gerrit Cole after 80 pitches and put in a LHP.
Dave Roberts countered with 3 straight pinch-hitters, all righties.
Chris Taylor singled, Miguel Vargas hit an RBI triple and Trayce Thompson walked.
Dodgers down 5-2 with runners at the corners and 0 outs.
— Noah Camras (@noahcamras) June 4, 2023
The Dodgers got up to three runs with nobody out and runners on first and second. However, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman lined out, and Will Smith struck out looking to end the inning.
The Dodgers had tons of defensive substitutions in the top of the eighth inning, including putting J.D. Martinez in left field for the first time since 2021. The Dodgers lost the designated hitter spot by doing that, so we’ll have to see what happened with Trayce Thompson, who didn’t stay in the game after pinch-hitting. The newest Dodger, Tayler Scott, pitching a scoreless eighth, only allowing Judge to reach on a walk.
In the bottom of the eighth inning, absolute chaos ensued. Max Muncy reached on a dropped strike three, bringing up J.D. Martinez, who smoked a ball to right field. However, somehow, some way, Aaron Judge made the catch, before bashing into and through the Dodger Stadium fence.
I’d charge Judge for a new Gate pic.twitter.com/1HvNZMXePp
— Dodgers Nation (@DodgersNation) June 4, 2023
The expected batting average on that hit from J.D. Martinez was .890.
What an incredible catch by Aaron Judge to prevent the Dodgers from being in prime position to tie the game.
Also, J.D. Martinez’s 16-game hitting streak is now in serious jeopardy of ending.
— Noah Camras (@noahcamras) June 4, 2023
The Dodgers ended up going quiet the rest of the inning, one that was saved by the incredible Judge catch.
Scott came back out for the ninth and retired the first two batters. Then, for some reason, Dave Roberts pulled him for Victor Gonzalez, who gave up a home run to make it 6-3.
The Dodgers bats went silent in the ninth, tying this quick three-game set at one apiece.
Up Next
The series finale of this three-game set is on Sunday Night Baseball on ESPN. Rookie RHP Bobby Miller is taking the mound for the Dodgers going up against RHP Domingo German of the Yankees. First pitch is at 4:10 p.m. PT.
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