Dodgers edge Yankees 2‑1 behind Muncy homer, Sasaki’s strong start

NEW YORK (Interstat) — The Los Angeles Dodgers rode a two-run homer from Max Muncy in the seventh inning to a 2-1 victory over the New York Yankees on Friday night at Yankee Stadium II, snapping a three-game losing streak and improving baseball’s best record to 62-36.

Jack Dreyer (4-1) earned the win with a scoreless seventh inning in relief of starter Roki Sasaki, and Tanner Scott recorded his 14th save by retiring the side in order in the ninth. Gerrit Cole (2-5) took the loss despite pitching six innings of two-hit ball before allowing the decisive blast.

The Yankees struck first in the bottom of the fourth. Jasson Domínguez led off with a double to center field and advanced to third when center fielder Andy Pages misplayed the ball for an error. After Jazz Chisholm Jr. popped out in foul territory, Domínguez tagged and scored, giving the Yankees a 1-0 lead. That was the only run allowed by Sasaki, who worked six innings and gave up five hits while striking out seven.

The Dodgers managed only two hits through the first six innings against Cole, who matched zeroes with Sasaki until the top of the seventh. Mookie Betts drew a leadoff walk, and Muncy followed by driving a 1-1 fastball over the right-field wall for his 18th home run of the season. The two-run shot put the Dodgers ahead 2-1 and ended Cole’s night. Cole allowed two runs on three hits and three walks while striking out eight in six-plus innings.

New York threatened in the bottom of the eighth. With one out, Ben Rice hit a sharp double to center field, and Trent Grisham attempted to score from first. The relay from Pages to shortstop Betts to catcher Dalton Rushing cut down Grisham at the plate after a replay review upheld the tag. The Yankees then challenged a home-plate collision on the same play, but the call stood, leaving runners at second with one out. Reliever Alex Vesia intentionally walked Paul Goldschmidt, but Cody Bellinger flied out to end the inning.

Scott worked a perfect ninth, striking out Chisholm Jr. and getting José Caballero to pop out to seal the win. The Dodgers finished with five hits, while the Yankees had six. Rice went 2 for 4 with a double and a single to lead New York’s offense. Muncy’s homer was the only extra-base hit for Los Angeles.

The game drew an announced crowd of 46,450 and took 2 hours, 48 minutes.

The Dodgers had lost three straight at home to the Arizona Diamondbacks before traveling to New York. The Yankees had won three in a row against the Washington Nationals.

Los Angeles and New York meet again Saturday in the second game of a three-game series. The Dodgers then travel to Philadelphia for three games followed by three at the New York Mets. The Yankees return home to host the Pittsburgh Pirates after the series with the Dodgers before a road trip to Philadelphia and Chicago.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of New York Yankees 6, Los Angeles Dodgers 5. Interstat’s ELO system had projected the Dodgers with a 53.40 percent probability to win. The Dodgers had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of minus-1.5. The total score of three runs went over the over-under line of nine.