Yanks Crush Dodgers & Ryu — Aug 23, 2019: NY 10 LA 2

The Yankees Crushed Hyun-Jin Ryu and the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium in the 1st game of this highly anticipated matchup between the teams with the best records so far in the American and National leagues. Hyun-Jin Ryu entered with a 12-3, 1.64 record — the best ERA by far in baseball. The Yankees sent him to the showers in the 5th — with a line of 4.1 IP, 9 H, 7 ER — driving his ERA to 2.00.

On the other hill, James Paxton was scintillating. He looked like an ace. His curve ball was Filthy with a capital F. His fastball explosive. His cutter cutting. “He came out pumping early”, said Aaron Boone. “All 3 pitches in play, right away. I thought all 3 were really good. The fastball had mid to high 90’s. The cutter. And the curveball was very much in play from the start too. I feel like he’s been on the verge of having this outing now for a while. I feel like he’s been in a good place. I feel you guys know that from how I’ve been talking to you. It was really good to see him go out in this environment, coming off a tough series — he really set the tone for us in a big way.” Paxton with the win goes to 10-6 4.43.

Aaron Judge — who got 3 hits — led the scoring off with a homerun to left off Hyun-Jin Ryu in the 3rd. Gary Sanchez hit another homer to left two batters later.

Dodger centerfielder A.J. Pollock got one back with a homer in the bottom of the 3rd — making the score 2-1 Yanks when Gary Sanchez came up in the 5th with runners on 2nd & 3rd (after singles by DJ LeMahieu and Judge) and 1 out. The Dodgers intentionally walked Sanchez to bring up Didi Gregorius who lifted a Grand Slam to right.

Gio Urshela, next up after Didi — doubled to chase Ryu. Brett Gardner doubled in another run off Adam Kolarek to make it 7-1. And that was ballgame — the way Paxton was pitching and with the Yankee bullpen waiting in the wings.

Gleyber Torres hit a homer in the 6th to make it 8-1. Paxton pitched into the 7th — leaving with 1 out and a runner at 3rd, who came in on a double by Enrique Hernandez off Tommy Kahnle, and then Nestor Cortes Jr. finished up with 2 scoreless innings.

Aaron Judge singled in a run in the 9th and Didi Gregorius hit his second homer of the night in the 9th for the 10-2 final.

Etcetera

Paxton and the bullpen were able to limit the Dodgers’ 2nd thru 5th batters of the order — 3rd baseman Justin Turner, catcher Will Smith, and rightfielder Cody Bellinger combined 0 for 10 — Smith struck out all 4 times up; Bellinger struck out all 3 times up.

DJ LeMahieu got 2 hits to break out of his mini slump and was on base for the Didi slam. LeMahieu is now batting .332, 2nd in the league behind Michael Brantley of Houston  (.337). Gio Urshela got 2 hits as well — his average is at .337 and he’ll be qualifying in a few more games (players need to have 3.1 x (team games) = plate appearances).

With LeMahieu and Urshela hitting, and Judge, Gary Sanchez, Didi, and Gleyber Torres hitting homers — the Yankee offense was in High Gear.

James Paxton credited Gary Sanchez for calling a good game.

This is Players’ Weekend so all major league teams are sporting odd uniforms with player nicknames on the back. The Yankees had an all-black uniform that fans either loved or hated.

The Boxscore

https://www.espn.com/mlb/boxscore?gameId=401076658

 

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