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The Revenge of Mookie Betts

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NEW YORK – Was it the revenge of Mookie Betts, the Curse of the Betts-bino, or is it a deeper, darker Curse of the Morons? That’ll be the question the New York Yankees and their ill-fated fans will have to answer after the Los Angeles Dodgers performed the unthinkable and defeated the Yankees in a comeback for the ages, a day after a fan attempted to grab a baseball right out of Betts’ glove. The fan was ejected and banned from baseball but, the Curse might remain.

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Betts, LA’s right fielder, lifted a tie-breaking sacrifice fly in the eighth inning as the Los Angeles Dodgers overcame a five-run deficit and clinched their eighth World Series title with a 7-6 victory over the New York Yankees on Wednesday night in Game 5 in the Bronx.

Six outs away from being forced back to Los Angeles for a sixth game on Friday, the Dodgers won their second title in five seasons and first in a full season since Kirk Gibson and the 1988 team stunned the Oakland Athletics.

Los Angeles also avoided becoming the first team to win the first three games of a best-of-seven Fall Classic and get taken to a sixth game.

The Dodgers trailed 6-5 entering the eighth before Yankees reliever Tommy Kahnle (1-1) allowed two singles and a walk to load the bases with no outs. Gavin Lux cracked a tying sacrifice fly to center field off Luke Weaver.

Shohei Ohtani then reached base on catcher’s interference when his bat grazed Austin Wells’ glove. Following a brief review, the call was confirmed.

On the next pitch, Betts lifted a fly ball to center fielder Aaron Judge, and utility man Tommy Edman trotted home for a 7-6 lead.

It was the largest comeback ever in a World Series clincher, surpassing the 1925 Pittsburgh Pirates overcoming a four-run deficit in Game 7 against the Washington Senators.

Giancarlo Stanton hit a sacrifice fly in the sixth to give the Yankees a 6-5 lead after Los Angeles erased its 5-0 deficit by sending 10 to the plate in fifth. The Dodgers capitalized on physical errors by Judge and Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe along with a mental error by Gerrit Cole, New York’s starting pitcher.

New York held a 5-0 lead and Cole had yet to allow a hit before Enrique Hernandez singled to open the fifth inning.

Edman reached when his fly ball caromed off Judge’s glove, putting runners at first and second. Will Smith followed by hitting a grounder to Volpe, whose throw bounced in front of third baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr., loading the bases with no outs.

After Cole struck out Lux and Ohtani, Betts hit a soft grounder to first baseman Anthony Rizzo. Cole went about halfway off the mound before stopping, and Betts beat Rizzo to the bag allowing the Dodgers’ first run to score.

Cole was one strike away from ending the inning with a 5-1 lead but allowed a two-run single to Freddie Freeman. Teoscar Hernandez also was one strike away from making the final out before lining a two-run double over Judge’s head, tying the game 5-5.

Los Angeles rallied after getting a short start from Jack Flaherty, who was tagged for four runs on four hits in 1 1/3 innings.

Blake Treinen (2-0) pitched 2 1/3 scoreless innings and struck out Anthony Rizzo with two on in the eighth.

Two days after winning Game 3, Walker Buehler pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his first major league save, regular season or postseason.

Judge hit a two-run homer in the first and Chisholm followed with a solo shot. Alex Verdugo added an RBI single to chase Flaherty in the second, and Stanton homered in the third off Ryan Brasier.

Cole allowed five unearned runs on four hits in 6 2/3 innings. He struck out six and walked four.

–Field Level Media

Shanahan, Holmgren Ready for Canton

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CANTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Super Bowl-winning head coaches Tom Coughlin, Mike Holmgren, Mike Shanahan and George Seifert are among the nine semifinalists from the coach category nominated for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

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Only one from the group can be named a finalist to be considered by the full Hall of Fame Selection Committee for possible election in 2025.

The Coach Blue-Ribbon Committee narrowed a list of 14 candidates to these semifinalists: Bill Arnsparger, Coughlin, Holmgren, Chuck Knox, Dan Reeves, Marty Schottenheimer, George Seifert, Shanahan and Clark Shaughnessy. All but Arnsparger, Knox and Seifert reached the semifinalist stage in 2023.

The same committee is scheduled for a virtual meeting on Nov. 19 to nominate one finalist to be considered for enshrinement.

Earlier this week, the Hall of Fame semifinalists from the contributor category, from which one finalist will be up for consideration with the next Hall of Fame class, were released: K.S. “Bud” Adams, Ralph Hay, Frank “Bucko” Kilroy, Robert Kraft, Art Modell, Art Rooney Jr., Seymour Siwoff of the Elias Sports Bureau, Doug Williams and John Wooten.

A grand total of 20 finalists are presented for debate at the selection committee’s annual meeting in advance of Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans, including 15 modern-era players, three seniors, one coach and one contributor. Between four and eight new members will be selected, according to the Hall of Fame’s selection process bylaws.

–Field Level Media

Flyers Blank Bruins, 2-0

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Samuel Ersson made 23 saves en route to his first shutout of the season as the Philadelphia Flyers beat the host Boston Bruins 2-0 on Tuesday. Tyson Foerster netted the game-winning goal in the second period, and Joel Farabee added a last-minute empty-netter.

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The Flyers have won two of their last three games since a six-game losing streak (0-5-1).

Emil Andrae had the primary assist on Foerster’s game-opening goal. It was the 22-year-old Swedish defenseman’s first career point in his sixth NHL game, his second contest this season.

Joonas Korpisalo made 17 saves for the Bruins, who have won just one of their past four (0-3-1). That span includes a pair of shutout losses.

Prior to Tuesday, the Bruins had earned at least a point in 20 consecutive home games vs. the Flyers since March 17, 2012.

The Bruins had a 24-19 shot advantage but finished 0-for-4 on the power play. Just three of their shots came in the third period.

Foerster broke the scoreless deadlock 5:32 into the second. Andrae slipped a pass from the half-wall through traffic and right to Foerster between the circles, where a straight-on wrist shot beat Korpisalo.

The Bruins had a prime scoring opportunity before the game was six minutes old but were unable to convert on 1:37 of five-on-three time.

On the other end, Korpisalo made a big save on Garnet Hathaway, who shot off a two-on-one break with Scott Laughton out of the penalty box.

One of Ersson’s best saves of the opening period came with 5:21 left when a crisp passing sequence resulted in Elias Lindholm getting a point-blank chance at the left post.

Ersson did not see a shot on goal on either of Boston’s last two power plays, including attempts in both the second and third frames.

The opening minutes of the third saw 19-year-old Flyers star Matvei Michkov attempt a lacrosse-style goal, only to be thwarted by Korpisalo, while Ersson pounced on a loose puck that Brad Marchand threw on from behind the goal line during a short-handed sequence.

–Field Level Media

 

Series Goes to Game 5

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NEW YORK – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Jack Flaherty and Gerrit Cole spent Tuesday afternoon preparing for a game they weren’t certain would happen. A few hours later, Anthony Volpe ensured the World Series would continue with Game 5 on Wednesday, when Flaherty pitches for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Cole starts for the New York Yankees.

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The Dodgers held a 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven series entering play on Tuesday, but New York cruised to an 11-4 victory in Game 4, sparked by Volpe’s third-inning grand slam.

Another Yankees win on Wednesday would create some history. Of the 24 previous teams that fell behind 3-0 in the World Series, 21 were swept in four games and the other three were eliminated in Game 5.

If New York can extend the series again, Game 6 would be played Friday in Los Angeles.

The Yankees hit .186 in the first three games and scored a total of seven runs. The Dodgers then grabbed a 2-0 lead in the first inning on Wednesday before Volpe sparked a comeback.

“They’re just like, ‘Let’s go get it,’” New York manager Aaron Boone said of his players. “Again, these guys love playing with each other, and you kind of got that sense before the game. And obviously as the game unfolded, it kind of got better and better tonight.

“It’s one game. We wanted to get it to tomorrow, and we’ve done that. Excited for the opportunity tomorrow.”

The Yankees are now hitting .206 in the series after posting their highest-scoring World Series game since a 12-2 win over the Dodgers in Game 5 of the 1978 Fall Classic.

Besides Volpe, Austin Wells and Gleyber Torres homered for New York. Aaron Judge hit an RBI single and walked, and every New York player except Anthony Rizzo reached base at least once.

“We’re just going to play our game,” Volpe said. “We feel like if we do that and we play the way we know we’re capable of playing, they can — they’re obviously a good team, and they can do what they do and whatever they want to do. We just have so much confidence in us that we play … that way, we feel like we’ll win.”

The Dodgers had few highlights other than Freddie Freeman setting a pair of major league records by homering in his sixth straight World Series game and becoming the first player to homer in the opening four games of a Fall Classic. Los Angeles mustered just six hits and went 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position.

“We’re up 3-1 right now,” Dodgers right fielder Mookie Betts said. “We feel pretty good about it, but you know that they’re going to fight. It doesn’t matter what the score is and it doesn’t matter when it is; they’re going to fight. So, I mean, no lead is safe until you win the fourth game.”

Flaherty (1-2, 6.10 ERA in the postseason) allowed eight runs in three innings during Game 5 of the NLCS against the New York Mets on Oct. 18, but he opened the World Series by allowing two runs on five hits in 5 1/3 innings.

Flaherty departed his first World Series start due to hamstring tightness he felt on the pitch before allowing a two-run homer to Giancarlo Stanton on his final delivery, but he said he feels fine now.

“It’s caused a little extra work that I normally wouldn’t have to do, but I’m feeling good today, felt good yesterday during my bullpen (session),” Flaherty said before Game 4. “At this point, it’s not anything I’m worried about.”

Cole (1-0, 2.82) will make his fourth career World Series start and first in an elimination game. Cole is 1-1 with a 3.15 ERA in World Series starts, and he took a no-decision in Game 1 when he allowed one run on four hits in six innings while throwing 88 pitches.

Cole was not a consideration to start Game 4 on three days of rest because his season began with a 2 1/2-month absence caused by an elbow injury.

“I feel now like I’m in good shape,” he said. “I have a reserve while I’m pitching. So if I need to dip into the tank, I can go get it, and then I can go get it again. It’s not like a one-time thing.

“And then familiarity both with myself and my delivery, how I’m moving, how well I’m concentrating the ball in the areas of the strike zone that I want to get. I’m … missing east and west very rarely anymore. Things are more defined.”

–Field Level Media

Bullpen Opener for World Series?

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BRONX – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – With a commanding lead in the World Series, the Los Angeles Dodgers will turn to rookie right-hander Ben Casparius to open Game 4 on the road against the New York Yankees on Tuesday night.

Holding a 3-0 advantage in the series, the Dodgers are in position to pull off the sweep for their first title since 2020, and their first championship after a full 162-game season since 1988.

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Casparius, 25, has just three games of regular-season experience. They all came after Aug. 31 when he went 2-0 with a 2.16 ERA in 8 1/3 total innings. After he was given a spot on the postseason roster, he has made three appearances in the playoffs, going 1-0 without allowing a run in 4 1/3 innings.

Tuesday’s game will be the Dodgers’ fourth bullpen game of the postseason, going 2-1 in those contests. They entered the playoffs with just three healthy starters: Jack Flaherty, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Walker Buehler.

The Dodgers’ most recent bullpen came in Game 6 of the National League Championship Series against New York Mets when they earned a 10-5 victory to clinch a spot in the World Series. Casparius went 1 1/3 scoreless innings in that game while earning the win.

Right-hander Ryan Brasier started two bullpen games in the playoffs for Los Angeles, while right-hander Michael Kopech started the other.

–Field Level Media

Bruins, Marchand Face Philly

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Bruins captain Brad Marchand has the monkey off his back.

Marchand scored his first goal of the season on Saturday — an overtime game-winner to beat the Toronto Maple Leafs — and the Bruins will try to ride that momentum into Tuesday’s homestand finale against the Philadelphia Flyers.

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“It’s one game. It’s not going to completely turn things around,” Marchand said. “But … it’s a great way to start building our foundation of understanding the way that we need to play to have success. It’s something to build on, but again, it’s one game.”

Marchand’s goal lifted Boston out of a three-game losing streak (0-2-1). Following the game, coach Jim Montgomery was quick to recognize the lift that his team’s bench got when Marchand was the player to win it.

“You could tell how happy the bench was when he scored that goal,” Montgomery said. “He’s our leader, he’s someone that embodies what it is to be a Bruin — the right way.”

Marchand and David Pastrnak each registered a goal and an assist while Justin Brazeau and Mark Kastelic also scored for Boston in the 4-3 win. Montgomery saw better overall effort from his group, including better puck management and fewer odd-man rushes.

Boston held its opponent to three power plays for only the second time this season, though it has still been short-handed more times than any other team (43).

From Montgomery’s eyes, there was improvement in that area, and he wants to see more in another area as well.

“Our puck pressure last game was the best it’s been, but it’s still not where it needs to be,” Montgomery said. “I would not come close to describing our team as relentless and that’s where we want to get. … Someone’s got to be pressuring the puck.”

The Flyers arrive in Boston at 2-6-1, looking to climb out of the Eastern Conference cellar.

A winning streak has eluded Philadelphia as it was unable to follow up a 7-5 Saturday win over the Minnesota Wild — which broke a six-game losing skid — with another victory, falling 4-3 to the Montreal Canadiens in the second half of a back-to-back.

“We’re just not working as a group,” defenseman Travis Sanheim said. “Last year, the reason we were so successful was it was five-man units, one after another, every line. We had an identity, we were working hard.”

Some of that togetherness appeared on Saturday in the Flyers’ first regulation win of the season, but it did not last into Sunday. Sanheim did score twice against Montreal, but Aleksei Kolosov (20 saves) could not manage a win in his NHL debut.

Marginal improvement aside, the Flyers have not hit the 30-shot mark in their last six games. With leading scorer Travis Konecny and much of the team’s core returning from a season ago, that result has been a bit of a surprise to coach John Tortorella.

“Some guys, I’m sure, a little frustrated and are gripping their sticks tight,” Tortorella said. “But, it does, it looks disjointed. … We’ve just got to get a little bit of, what’s the word I’m looking for? Just some smoothness in our game, just some good tempo and puck support.”

Konecny has a team-leading five goals, including one in three straight games, and 10 points this season.

However, further evidence of the team’s struggles comes on defense — in a minus-13 goal differential that is tied for second-worst in the NHL. Sean Couturier (plus-1) is the only player with a positive rating.

–Field Level Media

Patriots Upend J-E-T-S

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FOXBOROUGH – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Rhamondre Stevenson rushed for a go-ahead 1-yard touchdown with 22 seconds remaining to lift the New England Patriots to a 25-22 win over the New York Jets on Sunday afternoon in Massachusetts.

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Stevenson then hauled in a two-point conversion pass from backup quarterback Jacoby Brissett as New England (2-6) ended a six-game skid.

New York (2-6) had gone up 22-17 when Braelon Allen ran for a 2-yard score with 2:57 left. However, the Jets came up empty on a two-point conversion attempt, and it ended up costing them.

Brissett was under center because rookie quarterback Drake Maye, the No. 3 overall pick in this year’s draft, sustained a concussion late in the first quarter. Brissett ended up completing 15 of 24 passes for 132 yards.

Maye was 3-of-6 passing for 23 yards prior to exiting. He also had 46 yards and a TD on three carries.

Stevenson finished with 48 yards and two scores on 20 touches.

Aaron Rodgers had 233 yards and two TDs on 17-of-28 passing for the Jets, who dropped their fifth game in a row. Breece Hall rushed 16 times for 80 yards, and Garrett Wilson hauled in five catches for 113 yards.

After the New England defense forced a three-and-out to begin the second half, Marcus Jones put the Patriots at New York 26 with a 62-yard punt return. Five plays later, Stevenson ran into the end zone from 3 yards out for a 14-13 edge.

Jets kicker Greg Zuerlein booted a 29-yard field goal with 7:54 to go in the third quarter before missing a 44-yarder early in the fourth.

Joey Slye made it 17-16 New England with a 23-yard field goal with 7:34 left in the game.

Maye used his legs to open the scoring, scrambling for a 17-yard touchdown with 5:18 left in the first quarter to put New England up 7-0.

Tyler Conklin was on the receiving end of a 2-yard score just under four minutes later, but Zuerlein pulled the ensuing extra-point attempt wide left to keep New York trailing.

However, it wouldn’t be long until the Jets moved in front, taking a 13-7 lead when Rodgers found Xavier Gipson for a 1-yard touchdown with 9:06 remaining in the first half.

–Field Level Media

World Series Continues in the Bronx

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NEW YORK – In the opening two games of their first World Series appearance since 2009, the New York Yankees were close to at least exiting Dodger Stadium with a split and possibly two wins.

Instead, the Los Angeles Dodgers were productive enough and even with Shohei Ohtani off to a quiet start and sustaining a partially dislocated left shoulder, the best team during the regular season is halfway to a title.

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While Ohtani is slated to play and attempt to help the Dodgers inch closer to their eighth title, the Yankees hope returning home can aid them in getting back into the series when the Fall Classic shifts to Yankee Stadium on Monday.

After the Dodgers won games started by Jack Flaherty and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Walker Buehler gets the nod for Game 3. Following losses in games started by Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon, Clarke Schmidt gets the ball for New York in a matchup of former first-round picks.

The Dodgers are attempting to win their first title in a 162-game season since beating the Oakland Athletics in five games in 1988. Like that series, Los Angeles won the opening two games at home and the Dodgers are seeking a three games to none lead for the first time since 1963 when they swept the Yankees.

Los Angeles held serve by earning a 6-3 victory in the opener and following it up with a 4-2 win in Game 2 on Saturday. Freddie Freeman hit the game-ending grand slam with two outs in the 10th inning off Nestor Cortes in the opener, and homered again Saturday before Alex Vesia needed one pitch to escape a bases-loaded jam after the Yankees scored their second run.

Vesia’s escape occurred after Ohtani hurt his shoulder attempting to steal second in the seventh inning. Ohtani is 1-for-8 in the series and manager Dave Roberts said the superstar felt good Sunday morning, flew separately from the team and was able to participate in their workout.

“If (Ohtani) feels good enough to go, I see no reason why he wouldn’t be in there,” Roberts said of the starting lineup before the Dodgers worked out.

The Yankees are hoping to get some better clutch hitting after going 2-for-14 with runners in scoring position in Los Angeles. Juan Soto homered in Game 2 but Aaron Judge went 1-for-9 with six strikeouts and is 6-for-40 with 19 strikeouts during the postseason.

“Just expanding the zone. That’s what it really comes down to,” Judge said. “I think it’s trying to make things happen instead of letting the game come to you. Plain and simple, I’ve got to start swinging at strikes.”

Judge is struggling while hitting between Soto and Giancarlo Stanton, who are hitting a combined .313 (26-for-83) with 10 homers and 23 RBIs in the postseason.

“We’ve been through a lot of tough moments throughout the year. So I think we’ve been there,” Soto said. “We know how (to take) a couple punches in the face and just keep battling and keep going. We can go home and do our thing.”

The Yankees are facing a 2-0 deficit for the first time since dropping the first two against the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2001 in a series that reached Game 7. New York is facing a two games to none World Series deficit for the ninth time and rallied to win a title in 1996 against the Atlanta Braves, 1978 against the Dodgers, 1958 against the Milwaukee Braves and 1956 against the Brooklyn Dodgers.

Under the World Series’ current 2-3-2 format, the team winning the opening two games has won 45 out of 56 times. The last team to overcome a two games to none deficit was the Yankees, who are the only team to do so since the 1986 New York Mets.

Schmidt, who has a pair of no-decisions in the postseason, will pitch in Game 3 for the third straight time. Schmidt is pitching for the first time since allowing two runs on five hits in 4 2/3 innings in Cleveland in Game 3 of the ALCS on Oct. 17.

“I’m obviously very excited to get out there, but I know I have a job to do. We’re trying to win this World Series,” Schmidt said before Game 2. “I think for me I’m just trying to go out there and execute and do my job.”

Buehler is 0-1 with a 6.00 ERA in a pair of postseason starts. He was tagged for six runs in five innings in Game 3 of the Division Series at San Diego and allowed three hits in four innings during an 8-0 win over the Mets in Game 3 of the NLCS on Oct. 16.

Buehler is 1-0 with an 0.69 ERA in a pair of World Series Starts which occurred in Games 3 in 2018 against the Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay two years later.

“We love Walker in big games,” Roberts said. “The road isn’t going to faze him. It also allows him potentially to be available for a Game 7 too.”

–Field Level Media

 

SNF: Big Game for SF v. DAL

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SANTA CLARA – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The Dallas Cowboys come off their bye week desperately in need of a victory while traveling to face a San Francisco 49ers team dealing with a litany of injuries to their skill position personnel.

One of the NFC’s oldest rivalries closes out Sunday’s action in Week 8 of the NFL’s regular season.

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ODDS AND TRENDS
The 49ers (3-4) are consensus 5.0-point favorites at home. That includes at BetRivers, where the 49ers have drawn 64 percent of the spread-line money, while the Cowboys (3-3) have been backed by 53 percent of the total bets.

Dallas’ +180 moneyline has been popular, attracting 61 percent of the money, although the 49ers have garnered 46 percent of the total bets at -225.

The Over/Under total points line has hovered around 47.5 and 48.0 at most books. At BetRivers, the Under has been backed by big wagers with     82 percent of the total money, although 70 percent of the total bets have supported to Over.

SERIES HISTORY
San Francisco has won the past three meetings, including playoff victories to end Dallas’ 2021 and 2022 seasons. Last season’s meeting was one-sided as the 49ers clobbered the Cowboys 42-10 behind four touchdown passes from Brock Purdy, three to George Kittle.

That beatdown might not have been as bad as the one Dallas (3-3) just experienced — a 47-9 loss to the Detroit Lions before the team’s much-needed bye.

THE NEWS
Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott had a message for his teammates before they all took time off for last week’s bye.

INJURY REPORT
What the Cowboys could really use is seeing star linebacker Micah Parsons (ankle) and cornerback DaRon Bland (foot) on the field. But they’re both out again Sunday night, and Bland’s replacement in the starting lineup in 2024, Caelen Carson, is questionable with a shoulder injury.

Parsons will miss his third straight game. Bland has yet to play this season.

Cowboys starting linebacker Eric Kendricks (shoulder) is also listed as questionable.

The 49ers are battling a slew of injuries and lost star wideout Brandon Aiyuk to a season-ending right knee injury during last Sunday’s 28-18 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.

Wideout Deebo Samuel (pneumonia/wrist) played just a few snaps and was later hospitalized and released on Tuesday. Though he sat out Wednesday’s practice, San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan said Samuel might play, but he’s listed as questionable, the same designated the 49ers gave Kittle (foot).

Receiver Jauan Jennings (hip/groin) missed the Kansas City game, was unable to practice all week and is out along with kicker Jake Moody (ankle).

Of course, McCaffrey (Achilles) remains on injured reserve and hasn’t played a down this season.

THEY SAID IT
–“I think we’ve gotta go into these games and say, ‘We’ve gotta step on somebody’s neck. It’s just the simple things: being disciplined, can’t kill each other on red-zone trips. Can’t kill each other on third downs.” –Parsons

–“The guys in the building are really talented, so we have to figure that out. It’s on our vets to pull them along, whether they’re ready or not. … (The injuries) impact you to an extent but you have to have the three-foot mindset and just attack what’s in front of you.” –Kittle

PREDICTION
The Cowboys’ three wins have all come on the road, although the first two came against Cleveland and the New York Giants. Dallas did also secure a solid win at Pittsburgh before getting blown out at home by Detroit. The 49ers due enter the game with a concerning amount of injuries to key personnel, but this is an equally critical game for San Francisco and Dallas simply hasn’t played well against quality teams. –49ers 26, Cowboys 23

–Field Level Media

 

World Series: LA Dodgers Thwart NY Yankees, Lead 2-Games-to-None

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LOS ANGELES – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – LA’s Yoshinobu Yamamoto gave up one hit into the seventh inning, Teoscar Hernandez and Freddie Freeman hit back-to-back home runs and the Los Angeles Dodgers delivered a 4-2 victory over the visiting New York Yankees on Saturday to take a 2-0 World Series lead.

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Tommy Edman also hit a home run, while Yamamoto (2-0) allowed one run and two walks with four strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings, helping the Dodgers move two wins away from their first World Series title since 2020 and their first after a full regular season since 1988.

Dodgers right-hander Blake Treinen gave up an RBI single in the ninth to Giancarlo Stanton and departed with two outs and the bases loaded. Left-hander Alex Vesia entered and got pinch hitter Jose Trevino to fly out to center field for his first save of the postseason.

The lone area of concern for the Dodgers came when designated hitter Shohei Ohtani left the field with a trainer at the end of the seventh inning with an apparent left arm injury after an unsuccessful stolen-base attempt at second base.

Juan Soto hit a home run for the Yankees, while left-hander Carlos Rodon (1-2) gave up four runs on six hits, including three home runs, over 3 1/3 innings.

The series shifts to New York for the next three contests, starting with Game 3 on Monday. Game 4 is Tuesday and Game 5, if necessary, is Wednesday.

The Dodgers took a 1-0 lead in the second inning when the switch-hitting Edman hit a home run into the left field corner against Rodon while batting from the left side. It was his second home run of the postseason to go along with 13 RBIs for the National League Championship Series MVP.

Soto tied it 1-1 in the third with a blast into the right field corner against Yamamoto, his fourth of the postseason.

The Dodgers moved in front 3-1 in the bottom of the third on a two-run home run from Hernandez, his third of these playoffs, while Freeman followed with a drive to right field in nearly the same spot he hit his grand slam that ended Game 1.

It was just the 19th time a team has hit back-to-back home runs in the World Series with the only other occurrence by the Dodgers coming in Game 5 in 1981 against the Yankees by Pedro Guerrero and Steve Yeager.

The Yankees had just one hit heading into the ninth when Soto singled off the right field wall and scored on a single off the third base bag by Stanton. Jazz Chisholm Jr. singled and Anthony Rizzo was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Treinen struck out Anthony Volpe before Vesia got the last out on his first pitch.

–Field Level Media