Teoscar Hernández powers Dodgers to 11-3 win over Yankees

By MIKE FITZPATRICK
AP Baseball Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — Teoscar Hernández homered twice and knocked in six runs, including a grand slam that helped power the Los Angeles Dodgers past the New York Yankees 11-3 on Saturday night for their second consecutive victory in this marquee matchup.

“Like I said before, I hope we can do this again in October,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “Just coming in here, I really do believe it was a shot in the arm for our guys. To play a different opponent, to come in here, and what it means to play in this stadium. It’s fun to see our guys play with a little bit more focus.”

Kiké Hernández also went deep and Shohei Ohtani had an RBI single to back rookie Gavin Stone (7-2), who has won three straight starts and five of his last six.

“Nothing fazes him. He’s a killer out there,” Los Angeles reliever Alex Vesia said.

After handing New York (45-21) just its third series loss this season, the Dodgers (41-25) will try to cap their first visit to the Bronx since 2016 with a three-game sweep Sunday night.

“We’re here to play,” Vesia said emphatically.

Aaron Judge hit two homers for the Yankees, giving him a major league-high 23, but they’ve managed only four runs in 23 innings at the plate since slugger Juan Soto exited Thursday night’s win over Minnesota with a forearm injury.

The frustration showed when Giancarlo Stanton slammed his bat after popping up to end the seventh.

“It’s a big bat out for us right now but at the end of the day when one guy is down, the next guy’s got to step up,” outfielder Alex Verdugo said.

In a star-studded meeting of first-place teams billed as a potential World Series preview, Teoscar Hernández’s two-run double in the 11th inning Friday night broke a scoreless tie in Los Angeles’ 2-1 victory. Then his solo homer in the second off Nestor Cortes (3-5) got the Dodgers going Saturday.

Two walks by reliever Tommy Kahnle and the 10th error this year by second baseman Gleyber Torres loaded the bases in the eighth. Hernández connected on a 2-2 changeup for his fifth career grand slam and 18th two-homer game — his second this season.

It was his second drive of the night into the Dodgers’ bullpen in left-center and this one had teammates jumping around as the fired-up outfielder rounded the bases on his 15th home run of the season, opening an 8-2 cushion.

“Incredible. I mean, I know the ball went over the fence when I see my teammates in the bullpen with like, their arms up,” Hernández said. “I just have to enjoy those moments. It’s not going to happen every day, so I try to enjoy it the best that I can.”

The six RBIs equaled a career high for Hernández, accomplished three times. Freddie Freeman added a two-run double in the ninth.

Vesia replaced Stone with the bases loaded and two outs in the sixth and retired Anthony Volpe to protect a 4-2 lead, much to the delight of the many Dodgers fans in the sellout crowd of 48,374 — the largest this season at Yankee Stadium.

“They’re loud,” Verdugo said.

“Never expect it here in New York,” Hernández said, “but that’s incredible.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Dodgers: Roberts said the team didn’t know yet if RHP Bobby Miller (right shoulder inflammation) would make one more minor league rehab start or take his next turn in the big league rotation. Miller threw 85 pitches over four innings Friday for Triple-A Oklahoma City. … LHP Clayton Kershaw (shoulder surgery) felt “normal soreness” after throwing two innings Friday in a simulated game at Class A Rancho Cucamonga, according to Roberts. He said the three-time Cy Young Award winner will next throw a three-inning simulated game and then the plan is for him to begin a minor league rehab assignment.

Yankees: Soto (left forearm inflammation) missed his second consecutive game. … RHP Gerrit Cole (right elbow nerve inflammation) is scheduled to throw about 55-60 pitches Sunday in his second rehab start for Double-A Somerset.

UP NEXT

Dodgers RHP Tyler Glasnow (6-4, 2.93 ERA) starts the series finale Sunday night against rookie RHP Luis Gil (8-1, 1.82). Glasnow began the day leading the majors with 104 strikeouts, while Gil had the lowest ERA in the American League.

Gil is 7-0 with a 0.60 ERA in his last seven outings and is the first pitcher in Yankees history to throw at least six innings and allow no more than one run in seven straight starts.

___

This story has been corrected to show the Yankees have scored four runs since Soto exited with an injury, not three runs.

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB