Yoshinobu Yamamoto allowed just one hit over six and one-third innings, while Freddie Freeman homered for the second consecutive night. The Los Angeles Dodgers capitalized on three early longballs off Carlos Rodón to defeat the New York Yankees 4-2 on Saturday, securing a 2-0 lead in the World Series.

Tommy Edman and Teoscar Hernández also contributed with home runs for the Dodgers, who witnessed star slugger Shohei Ohtani exit the game with a left arm injury at the end of the seventh inning. The Yankees managed to close the gap to 4-2 in the ninth inning with Giancarlo Stanton’s RBI single against Blake Treinen. However, Alex Vesia came in to relieve with the bases loaded and secured the save by retiring pinch-hitter Jose Trevino on a first-pitch flyout.

Yamamoto conceded Juan Soto’s third-inning homer but retired his last 11 batters and 15 of his final 16. Soto also singled in the ninth and scored on Stanton’s one-out hit off the third-base bag. Jazz Chisholm Jr singled and Anthony Rizzo was hit by a pitch, loading the bases. Treinen then struck out Anthony Volpe before Vesia’s crucial relief.

Ohtani injured his left arm during a feetfirst slide while attempting to steal second base, which ended the seventh inning. Game 3 is scheduled for Monday night at Yankee Stadium. Historically, 45 out of 56 teams holding a 2-0 World Series lead have gone on to win the title.

New York’s Aaron Judge had a challenging game, going 0 for 4 with three strikeouts, bringing his postseason average to .150 with six RBIs and 19 strikeouts in 40 at-bats. Soto’s tying homer on an inside fastball was the only run Yamamoto allowed in two starts and 13 and one-third innings against the Yankees this year. The rookie received a large ovation as he left the field, offering a subtle tip of his cap to the fans.

Yamamoto joined the Dodgers last December on a $325 million, 12-year contract, setting a record for pitchers. This partnership with Ohtani generated significant interest in Major League Baseball back in Japan. Yamamoto’s performance was his finest since recovering from a strained rotator cuff, which sidelined him from June 15 to September 10.

In his longest outing since his start in the Bronx, Yamamoto struck out four and walked two, utilizing a five-pitch repertoire that included curveballs, splitters, sliders, and cutters. He improved his postseason record to 2-0 in four starts. Yamamoto’s best regular-season game at Yankee Stadium in June saw him allow just three hits over seven shutout innings. During that series, Hernández contributed three homers and nine RBIs.

Following Freeman’s historic walk-off grand slam in the previous game, Edman put the Dodgers ahead with a solo shot in the second inning. After Soto tied the score, Mookie Betts singled with two outs, and Hernández, despite a recent 3-for-27 slump, homered into the right-center pavilion.

Freeman, who hadn’t hit a homer since September 16, received enthusiastic cheers before each plate appearance. He worked the count full and homered to right-center. Playing on a sprained right ankle, Freeman has now homered in four consecutive Series games, one shy of the record held by the Astros’ George Springer.

All three Dodgers homers came on fastballs from Rodón, whose 31 longballs allowed during the regular season tied for second-most in the major leagues. Los Angeles achieved back-to-back Series homers for just the second time, following Pedro Guerrero and Steve Yeager’s connection against Yankees lefty Ron Guidry in Game 5 of the 1981 Series.

Rodón allowed four runs and six hits in three and one-third innings. The Dodgers now hold a 2-0 Series lead for the first time since 1988, when Kirk Gibson’s walk-off homer against Oakland’s Dennis Eckersley won the opener, followed by Orel Hershiser’s three-hit shutout. The Yankees are 0-2 for the first time since 2001, when they rebounded to win three straight at home but lost Games 6 and 7 at Arizona.

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