An exciting 2024 World Series rematch got, well, a little less exciting on Saturday. The Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the New York Yankees in humiliating fashion, taking the second game of the three-game series with a 18-2 win.
The Yankees went through eight pitchers, while Aaron Judge single-handedly kept New York from being shut out. But the Yankees couldn’t slow down Los Angeles’ offense; instead, the Dodgers built up a lead so substantial that designated hitter Shohei Ohtani fell asleep in the sixth inning.
Though Friday night’s game was a de facto home run derby, Saturday was a lot more one-sided. L.A. wasted no time, scoring four runs in the first inning while going all the way through the rotation.
Then, in the second, the Dodgers kept piling it on. Max Muncy smashed a three-run homer — his 200th career home run — to given L.A. a 7-0 lead and end the night for Yankees pitcher Will Warren.
But, even with Brent Headrick coming in to replace Warren, the hurt didn’t stop there for the Yankees. An RBI double from Tommy Edman and a two-run bomb from Hyeseong Kim brought the Dodgers’ lead to 10-0.
Aaron Judge hit a solo homer in the fourth inning to put New York on the board. But the Dodgers kept going in the fifth inning, with Freddie Freeman hitting a clean double down the right field line to send Kim home for another run.
Two batters later, Muncy went yard again, hitting another three-run homer that sent Freeman and Ohtani home.
It was even a good defensive night for L.A., with Kim in particular having a great night both at shortstop and in center field to keep the Yankees from scoring.
With L.A.’s large lead, Ohtani felt comfortable enough to take a little nap.
For what it’s worth, sleep is notably important to Ohtani, who has told reporters in the past that he likes to get 10 hours per night, plus a two-hour nap. Ohtani also has a young baby at home, after he and his wife welcomed their first child in April. Yankees fans might decide to go with one of those two reasons, instead of the brutal 13-run lead that the Dodgers built up only halfway through the game.
Even after Ohtani’s cat nap, the Dodgers weren’t finished: Outfielder Andy Pages hit a solo homer in the seventh to bring L.A.’s lead to 15-1, and leaving the Yankees wishing that the MLB had a mercy rule.
Though the rest of New York’s offense faltered, Judge continued to do his best, hitting another solo homer in the eighth inning for some pity points. But L.A. wasn’t even close to done. Pinch hitter Dalton Rushing (filling in for the sleepy Ohtani) hit another homer, getting a three-run bomb of his own to bring things to 18-2.
With the win very well in hand, and most of the seats behind home plate cleared out, the Dodgers finally put the Yankees out of their misery, ending the game in the top of the ninth.
New York will have one chance to offset the humiliating outing with the third game of the series on Sunday. After that, the next time these teams would play each other would be in the World Series…though if the Yankees keep playing like this, that seems unlikely.
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