Jake Bauers hit a pair of two-run home runs and Aaron Judge added a solo shot to go along with a key defensive play in the eighth inning as the visiting New York Yankees earned a 6-3 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday.
Oswaldo Cabrera also hit a home run for the Yankees, while Gerritt Cole (7-0) gave up one run on four hits over six innings to stay unbeaten and knot the three-game series. Cole left after 80 pitches because of cramping.
Bauers hit both of his home runs against Dodgers rookie starter Michael Grove, going deep in the second and fourth innings to give him five on the season.
Miguel Rojas had two hits and an RBI for the Dodgers and Grove (0-2) gave up four runs over five innings in his return after spending a month and a half on the injured list.
Rookie Miguel Vargas had an RBI triple as Los Angeles lost for just the third time in its last 17 home games.
DJ LeMahieu tripled with one out in the second inning for the Yankees before Bauers ripped a home run to right field for a 2-0 lead.
The Dodgers got one run back in the bottom of the second when Jason Heyward was hit by a pitch with two outs and scored on David Peralta’s bloop hit down the left-field line that eluded three players.
Anthony Rizzo singled to lead off the fourth inning for the Yankees and Bauers went deep to right-center field to put New York up 4-1.
Judge hit his 19th home run of the season in the sixth inning with a line drive just over the short wall in the left-field corner.
After Cole departed, the Dodgers found their offense in the seventh. Chris Taylor singled on Wandy Peralta’s first pitch and Vargas tripled into the left-field corner. After Trayce Thompson walked, Michael King replaced Peralta and gave up an RBI single to Miguel Rojas before he retired Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman and Will Smith in succession to escape further trouble.
Judge made a running catch in the eighth inning on a drive by J.D. Martinez with a runner on base, breaking through the bullpen gate in right field in the process.
Cabrera hit a home run in the ninth inning off Dodgers lefty Victor Gonzalez.
–Field Level Media
