Shohei Ohtani led a Los Angeles Dodgers comeback with two home runs, including a pivotal solo shot in the sixth inning, as the Dodgers overcame an early deficit to defeat the New York Yankees 8-5 on Friday night at Dodger Stadium. The game marked a rematch of last season’s World Series, which the Dodgers won in six games.
Los Angeles entered the game as slight favorites, with most sportsbooks listing the Dodgers at -120 on the moneyline and the Yankees at even odds. The over/under for total runs was set at 8.5, which was comfortably surpassed in the high-scoring matchup.
Ohtani and Aaron Judge both showcased their power early in the contest. In a rare feat, they became the first reigning league MVPs to hit home runs in the first inning of the same game. Judge opened the scoring with a 446-foot home run to center field off Dodgers starter Tony Gonsolin. Ohtani responded at the bottom of the inning with a 417-foot drive to the right, connecting on his first pitch with New York left-hander Max Fried.
The Yankees capitalized on Gonsolin’s early struggles, extending their lead to 4-1 with a pair of home runs in the second inning. Austin Wells hit a solo home run, and Trent Grisham followed with a two-run shot. In the third, Paul Goldschmidt added a solo homer, giving New York a 5-2 advantage.
However, the Dodgers gradually closed the gap before staging a decisive rally in the sixth. Ohtani’s second home run of the night, his 21st of the season, led off the inning and set the tone. Teoscar Hernández and Will Smith followed with singles, and Freddie Freeman drove in a run with a double that ended Fried’s night. Andy Pages then tied the game with an RBI single off reliever Jonathan Loáisiga.
With the bases loaded and the score tied, Tim Hill issued a walk to Michael Conforto, forcing the go-ahead run. That gave the Dodgers a 6-5 lead, and they added to it in the seventh inning. Will Smith singled, Freeman doubled, and both later scored on another RBI single by Pages, who finished with three runs batted in.
On the mound, Gonsolin won despite allowing four home runs, falling one short of his record for homers allowed in a single outing. He improved to 3-1 on the season. Alex Vesia closed out the game with a scoreless ninth inning to earn his second save.
Dodgers reliever Tanner Scott contributed in a high-leverage moment, entering in the eighth inning with runners on the corners. He induced a flyout from DJ LeMahieu to end the threat. Scott, who has struggled with consistency in recent appearances, delivered when needed.
The loss was charged to Loáisiga, now 0-1 on the season, as the Yankees dropped the series’ opener. The two clubs continue their three-game set on Saturday, with right-hander Will Warren (3-2, 4.09 ERA) scheduled to start for New York against Los Angeles right-hander Landon Knack (2-2, 5.22 ERA).
