LOS ANGELES – When a quiet Yankees’ lineup finally stirred in Saturday’s ninth inning, once more Aaron Judge couldn’t come through – limiting their ability to rally in Game 2.
“I’ve definitely got to step up and do my job,’’ Judge said after the Dodgers’ suddenly suspenseful 4-2 win.
It’s nearly impossible to imagine a Yankees’ comeback in this World Series without the contribution of their captain, now 1-for-9 with six strikeouts in two straight losses at Dodger Stadium.
Yes, the Dodgers are crossing the country while crossing their fingers, hoping Shohei Ohtani’s shoulder injury late in Game 2, suffered on an awkward slide, won’t take him out of this Series.
But the Yankees have lost their starting pitching advantage; they were an out away from winning Gerrit Cole’s Game 1 start, and Carlos Rodon lasted just 3.1 innings in Game 2.
This was the home run-prone version of Rodon, yielding three homers – including back-to-back shots by Teoscar Hernandez and Game 1 hero Freddie Freeman – in a reminder of how deep the Dodgers run.
Starting with Monday night’s Game 3 at Yankee Stadium, the Yankees will be fighting to bring the World Series back to Chavez Ravine, where Judge’s frigid October dropped another few degrees.
Why isn’t Aaron Judge hitting in postseason?
“Just expanding the zone, that’s really what it comes down to,’’ said Judge, who struck out three times in Saturday’s 0-for-4.
With the Yanks trailing by three runs entering the ninth, limited to one hit, Juan Soto opened by driving a single off the right field wall against Blake Treinen.
Next, Judge waved at a 1-2 slider, the captain’s third strikeout of the night.
But the rally continued – with a run in and the bases loaded – until Treinen got Anthony Volpe to chase a third strike slider and Alex Vesia got pinch-hitter Jose Trevino on a fly out to deep center.
It’s about “getting a pitch in the zone and driving it,’’ said Judge, acknowledging his frustration.
But there’s indecision mixed into the equation, messing with Judge’s rhythm – elements we’ve seen to a degree even during a likely MVP regular season.
Take Judge’s third at-bat against Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who yielded just one hit in Game 2 – a game-tying, Juan Soto solo homer in the third.
After getting ahead in the count 2-0, Judge looked at a 94-mph fastball down the middle for a strike, a pitch that he could damage.
That take spun his at-bat in a bad direction; he fouled off a curveball then expanded the zone, swinging through a sharp splitter off the inside corner.
“Guys around me are doing their job, getting on base,’’ said Judge. “And I’m failing them, failing to back them up.’’
Yankees’ lineup dominated by Yoshinobu Yamamoto
Actually, on-base traffic was at a minimum Saturday against Yamamoto, the star Japanese right-hander that the Yankees hoped to put in their rotation – until he signed a $325 million Dodger deal last winter.
Yamamoto dominated the Yankees during a June start in the Bronx with seven shutout innings, then suffered a triceps injury that cost him nearly two months.
He was back in form Saturday, retiring the last 11 Yankees he faced and keeping Judge in the freezer.
“It’s only going to take one at-bat to get him going,’’ said Soto, who belted his fourth homer of this postseason and nearly had a fifth.
Soto watched Judge stumble through April, with a .197 batting average through his first 33 games.
In 16 games from Aug. 26 through Sept. 12, Judge batted .207 and failed to hit a home run, but still finished his finest overall offensive season at .322 with an MLB-leading 58 homers and 144 RBI.
“He’s got time to help us win some games,’’ said Giancarlo Stanton, whose October prowess – 17 homers and 38 RBI in 38 postseason games – Judge would dearly love to approach.
But to paraphrase Yogi, it’s getting late early in this World Series.
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