Technically this is just another series in May/June, but due to it being the Dodgers and Yankees, and due to it being a World Series rematch, it never quite is just that in terms of attention. Well the fireworks certainly started early today, and it looked like the Yankees would run away with it due to their ace being on the mound, but the Dodgers rallied again (not unlike the World Series) to score six unanswered runs in an 8-5 victory to start the series.
======
The game got off to a storybook start, as both Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani hit solo homers off Tony Gonsolin and Max Fried, respectively, in the 1st.
446-ft ? for the Captain. #AllRise pic.twitter.com/6C5kbWIlQo
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) May 31, 2025
First pitch? Sho-off. pic.twitter.com/paPEkOsItx
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) May 31, 2025
Unfortunately, it was the Yankees who continued the onslaught against Tony, as Austin Wells led the 2nd off with a solo shot and Trent Grisham mashed one of his own with a runner on to make it 4-1.
All Too Wells. @wellsius16 ? pic.twitter.com/ifHxGPUs1W
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) May 31, 2025
Trent Tank ? pic.twitter.com/QJKXe3U0Ra
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) May 31, 2025
The Dodgers did get a run back in their half of the 2nd against Fried, as a Tommy Edman double, balk, and Enrique Hernandez groundout cut the lead to 4-2. However, more batting practice happened in the 3rd when Paul Goldschmidt led off with a solo shot to push the lead back to three, making it 5-2 again.
Going for Gold ? pic.twitter.com/EwIHet2nBg
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) May 31, 2025
Surprisingly, and valuably, after Tony got out of that inning, he was flawless. Gonsolin retired the last nine batters he faced and saved the pen: 6 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 3 BB, 4 K, 91 Pitches.
Remarkably? He left with a chance to be the winning pitcher. Fried seemed to settle in, facing the minimum from the 3rd through 5th innings. However, it was Ohtani yet again to start the 6th with his 22nd homer that made it 5-3 Yankees.
Shohei does it again! pic.twitter.com/bIj0r4GUJc
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) May 31, 2025
Not sure if that rattled Fried or something, but he imploded from there. He gave up back-to-back singles to Teoscar Hernandez and Will Smith, then Freddie Freeman doubled to left to score a run, and all of a sudden it was 5-4 and that was the end of Fried’s night.
Freddie al izquierdo para traerse a Teoscar al plato. pic.twitter.com/kasKToZk1l
— Los Dodgers (@LosDodgers) May 31, 2025
With the infield in, Andy Pages stepped up and grounded a ball through the left side for a single that tied the game up.
ANDY TIES IT! pic.twitter.com/RjLqw5rKCX
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) May 31, 2025
Now with the runners cornered and still nobody out, Edman hit a grounder to first and Freddie got caught in a rundown to prevent the double play, but he stayed in long enough to advance both runners into scoring position.
That proved important, as Aaron Boone choose to intentionally walk pinch-hitter Max Muncy to load them up, and then Michael Conforto drew a walk to give the Dodgers their first lead at 6-5. Unfortunately, with Shohei on deck, Miguel Rojas did what he does best, and grounded into a 3-2-3 double play to end it.
Ugh.
Fortunately, Pages helped to lessen the blow in the 7th to complete a two-out rally. A Will Smith single and Freddie Freeman double put a pair on for him again, and he delivered again with a single to drive them both in to push the lead to 8-5.
Andy knocks in a pair! pic.twitter.com/t9rjNU68v1
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) May 31, 2025
Of course, it was the pen that still had to cover three innings. Jack Dreyer started things off in the 7th, giving up a double but also getting a pair of outs. Ben Casparius was then summoned to get the last out, and he did so. He obviously continued in the 8th as well, but after a lead-off walk and a two-out single, Dave Roberts came to get him. The struggling Tanner Scott entered and he got his out to end that frame.
Interestingly, he did not go for the four-out save, and instead it was Alex Vesia in the 9th. He worryingly started with a single, but then got the next three to close it out. Phew?
Alex Vesia at 93-94 again? pic.twitter.com/zEDivCOTFa
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) May 31, 2025
Well, honestly one win was all I expected from this series, so … good start, boys.
======
Tomorrow’s game will be at the weekend time of 1:15 PM HT/4:15 PM PT/7:15 PM ET, and it’ll be another national broadcast on FOX. Landon Knack will look to build off his quality outing last time out against Will Warren.
