As expected, this big series came down to the final game and it featured some highlight-reel plays with some thunder off the bats as well. But in the end, the Yankees were victorious 5-1 over the Dodgers to claim the 3 game series that can potentially have a big momentum swing in the race for home field advantage throughout the MLB playoffs.
The Yankees started this game with a bang off Dodgers legend Clayton Kershaw, as DJ LeMaihue led the game off with a solo blast, only to be answered by a Job Peterson leadoff blast off young stud Domingo German that made it a 1-1 game after 1.
Before the game, Aaron Judge promised a fan he would go deep in this one and in the 3rd, he did as his 404FT solo shot gave the Yankees a 2-1 lead. Kershaw would settle down after that, as he would go 7 innings of 3 run ball with season-high 12Ks, with the last run coming on a Mike Ford solo shot in the 7th to put the the Yankees up 3-1.
Ford, (Who was only in the game because Didi Gregorious left the game with an injured shoulder but was ultimately ok) went at it agin in the 8th, as he doubled home DJ to extend the Yankees lead, before a Gio Urshela RBI single in the 9th (That only happened because of a dodgers pickoff attempt error sent the speedy Brett Gardner to 3rd moments prior) gave the Yankees a 5-1 lead.
As for the pitching, Domingo German was able to grind through 6 innings of 1 run ball with some help from his defense on several occasions . The first play came in the 3rd, as with runners on 2nd and 3rd and 2 outs, Peterson crushed one to the center field wall, that was caught by Gardner as his leaping catch saved two runs and preserved the Yankees lead. Then in the 5th, with a runner on 1st with 0 outs in the 5th, German and Gary Sanchez turned a "Strike em out, throw em out double play!" before another Gio Urshela backhand "Web Gem'" throw at 3rd ended the inning.
Credit to Domingo though for gutting it out and doing what he needed to do in order to keep the offensive-heavy Dodgers at bay.
After German departed, the bullpen trio of Adam Ottavino, Tommy Kahlene, Zack Britton and Aroldis Chapman sealed the deal as the Yankees finished off a series win over the Dodgers with a 5-1 victory.
MVP: Brett Gardner
THOUGHTS:
Takeaways from this series:
1. We got to Kershaw and Ryu and showed how good we are when we need to be.
2. The starting pitching showed up this weekend. Paxton was a beast, CC kept us in it and German got through his 6 innings of 1 run ball! This shows once again that when these guys need to be good they are. They sense the moment.
3. We executed our late game plan by having our big bullpen shut them down. Late in the game Is when the Dodgers really hammer you and this time, we hammered them
4. Aaron Judge is back! It was only a matter of time in my opinion and it’s great that in possibly the biggest series of the year, he came through! Also he is a man of his word by keeping that promise.
5. The #nextmanup continues. Didi goes down (But is thankfully ok) Ford steps up and delivers in a big way in the series finale with a HR and a double.
Onto Seattle!
STATS TO KNOW:
Mostly via Katie Sharp on Twitter (@ktsharp)
DJ LeMaheiu: 6th leadoff HR this season, the most in a season by a Yankee since Alfonso Soriano had 13 in 2003.
Right- handed batters to HR off Clayton Kershaw’s Curveball in last 2 seasons:
DJ LeMahieu (Aug. 25, 2019)
Aaron Judge (Aug 25 2019)
Ronald Acuna Jr (May 8, 2019)
This is 2nd time in his career Clayton Kershaw has allowed multiple HR off his curveball in a game as he allowed it to DJ and Judge in this one.
Also happened on June 19, 2017 (Jose Reyes, Gavin Cecchini)
Aaron Judge: 10 of 16 HRs this season (66.7%) have given the Yankees a lead.
MLB average is 30.7%
Clayton Kershaw 3+ HR Allowed At Home:
2017-19: 6 games
2008-16: 1 game
Clayton Kershaw has now allowed 21 home runs this season. This is the second time in his career that he has allowed 20+ home runs in a season. His career-high is 23 in 2017.
The Dodgers (86-46)have the best record in the majors, 1 game better than the Astros(85-47) and the Yankees (85-47).
In the Wild Card era (since 1995), the team with the best record in the majors entering September has gone on to win the World Series only 4 times.
Yankees are 37-25 (.597) vs above .500 teams this season, the best record in MLB.
Aaron Judge: 1st time in his career he's hit a homer in each game of a 3-game series.
The Yankees have now won 7 straight ”Rubber games“.
The Yankees are now 23-0 this season when Otto, Kahlene, Britton and Chapman all appear in the same game.
The Yankees now have hit 61HRs in the month of August. That is the most by any team on any month in MLB history.
UP NEXT:
The Yankees (85-47) will now travel to Seattle where they face the Seattle Mariners (56-75) in the beginning of a 3 game series on Monday night (8/26).
JA Happ will go for the Yankees against Matt Wiselr of the Mariners.
Game time is 10:10 PM EST.
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