The Los Angeles Dodgers weren't just content with clinching a series win over the New York Yankees on Saturday night; they went ahead and served up one of the most humbling defeats in Yankees' storied history. Coming off an 8-5 victory that set the tone Friday in their 2024 World Series rematch, the Dodgers didn't just win – they dominated, posting a staggering 18-2 blowout.
To put this in perspective, as baseball analyst Katie Sharp highlighted, the Yankees have never faced such a lopsided defeat from a National League team until now. In all their decades of play, including 41 World Series appearances and countless interleague matchups since 1997, this particular loss sets a grim new record.
It's only the 12th time in the entire franchise's history that they've suffered a loss by 16 or more runs. The last time something similar happened, they were on the wrong end of a 19-3 shellacking from the Boston Red Sox in July 2019.
From the get-go, the Dodgers came out swinging. They put four runs on the board in the first inning and added six more in the second, showcasing an offensive onslaught that left Yankees starter Will Warren reeling.
Warren's short stint on the mound – lasting just 1 ⅓ innings – saw his ERA spike from 4.09 to 5.19. The Dodgers' bats were relentless, compiling 21 hits, nine of which went for extra bases.
Among those hits were career home runs No. 200 and 201 for the red-hot Max Muncy.
Adding to the Dodgers' highlights, rookie Dalton Rushing marked a milestone with his first career home run, albeit off Yankees utility player Pablo Reyes, who took to the mound in desperation during the bottom of the eighth. Not to be outdone on the pitching side, Dodgers' stalwart Enrique Hernández took over in the ninth to cap off the game with a scoreless inning – a fitting end to a night of dominance.
Lost in the avalanche of runs was the solid performance by Dodgers right-hander Landon Knack, who held the Yankees to just one run across six innings, striking out six and walking three. Meanwhile, Tommy Edman had himself a night with four hits.
For Yankee fans looking for that silver lining, Aaron Judge continued to dazzle, belting two homers to bump his season total to 21. That puts him in elite company alongside Shohei Ohtani and Cal Raleigh as the league's only hitters to cross the 20-home-run threshold so far this season.
Despite the drubbing, the Yankees still lead the American League East with a record of 35-22 and maintain a 5.5-game cushion over the Tampa Bay Rays. They've also managed to keep the league's best run differential, though the gap has narrowed, with the Dodgers trimming it to just a single run advantage over the Chicago Cubs. Meanwhile, the Dodgers sit atop the National League West, leading the San Diego Padres by 2.5 games with a 36-22 tally.
The Dodgers will be looking to complete the sweep when they face off against the Yankees once more under the bright lights of Dodger Stadium on Sunday night. It's a series finale that promises fireworks, with the Dodgers trying to sustain their momentum and the Yankees seeking redemption.
