The Los Angeles Dodgers, who boast the best batting line-up in the National League, were swept in a battle of strength by their arch-rivals, the New York Yankees, in their first meeting in four years.
The Dodgers fell 1-4 to the New York Yankees in the 2023 Major League Baseball (MLB) World Series at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California, USA, on 5 May. With the loss, the Dodgers finished their three-game series against the Yankees with a 1-2 loss. They finished the season with a 35-25 record, tied for first place in the National League West.먹튀검증
The Dodgers are considered a perennial powerhouse in the National League. They are a dominant team in the regular season, winning 111 games last year. However, they’ve had a significant offseason, and they’re still in contention for first place in the division and first place in the National League. That’s thanks to a formidable batting lineup. Prior to this game, they led the National League with 100 home runs, 330 runs scored, and a wRC+ (adjusted run production, where 100 is the average) of 116.
With a strong batting line-up, they reunited with their ‘original rivals’, the Yankees. The Dodgers, who were based in Brooklyn before the move, were a perennial second-place team that had challenged the Yankees several times and lost each time. The Dodgers have since moved to Los Angeles, but have grown to become the biggest franchise in the West, rivalling the Yankees as both the East’s leading franchise and the national franchise.
Both teams are popular in their respective regions, so there was a lot of interest in the first matchup in four years. The Dodgers, who had ace pitchers Clayton Kershaw and Hyun-jin Ryu collapse in a losing series in 2019, were looking for their first sweep in four years.
However, they came up short against the Yankees. A six-run first inning gave the Dodgers the upper hand in Game 1, but they were swept by Yankees ace Gerrit Cole in Game 2.
Game 3 was also close. The game was a pitcher’s duel until the sixth inning. The difference between the two teams was the bullpen battle. The Yankees opened the scoring in the seventh when Jake Bauers, who had hit two home runs the day before, led off with a single to left. Kainer Palepa followed with an infield single and Dodgers pitcher Bruce DeGraterol reached on a throwing error. The Yankees scored the go-ahead run on a ground ball with runners on first and second.
The Dodgers immediately tied the game on a Martinez solo shot, but the Yankees’ comeback was quicker and stronger. The Yankees put themselves in scoring position in the top of the eighth when Anthony Rizzo walked and Giancarlo Stanton hit a big double off the wall. With the opportunity, pinch-hitter Oswaldo Cabrera hit a grounder to load the bases, giving the Yankees a 2-1 lead. The Yankees then sealed the win with a two-run home run by Anthony Volpi in the top of the ninth.
The quality of the batting was already in the Yankees’ favour. The Dodgers generated just four heart hits (balls hit over 153 km/h) in the game. The Yankees, on the other hand, hit twice as many – eight – and won the power battle in favour of the Dodgers.
While the offence struggled, it was the Dodgers’ performance that reaffirmed Miller’s quality. With the win, Miller lowered his season ERA to 1.06. He also struck out a career-high seven batters. It’s the first time he’s ever struck out more batters than innings pitched. After struggling with starting injuries (Julio Urias, Dustin May) and struggles (Noah Syndergaard), Miller’s performance is something to smile about.