Yankees at Dodgers
A day after they showed some muscle in an impressive series-opening win at Dodger Stadium, the New York Yankees were silenced Saturday in Los Angeles. The Yankees will have a hard time rediscovering their offense Sunday in the finale of a three-game series with the host Dodgers, who turn to dominant ace Clayton Kershaw in an effort to win the rubber match.
New York hammered five home runs to take Friday's matchup between the MLB heavyweights before it was held to five hits and left the bases loaded in the ninth in a 2-1 loss Saturday. Justin Turner's two-run homer was the decisive blow for Los Angeles, which improved to 52-17 at home, where Kershaw is 9-0. Aaron Judge went deep for the lone Yankees run on Saturday and the big slugger is 6-for-12 with a pair of homers and a double over his last three games. He will be getting his first look at Kershaw, who is opposed Sunday by right-hander Domingo German - the MLB leader in victories with 16.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, ESPN
PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees RH Domingo German (16-3, 4.15 ERA) vs. Dodgers LH Clayton Kershaw (13-2, 2.71)
German won seven straight decisions before faltering at Oakland on Tuesday, when he gave up five earned runs over 5 1/3 innings. He has an ERA of 6.21 over his last six starts, during which the 27-year-old has given up 12 home runs in 33 1/3 innings. German owns a 5.00 ERA in his career in interleague play and will be facing the Dodgers for the first time.
Kershaw has won six straight decisions and five consecutive starts after letting up three runs in six innings versus Toronto on Tuesday. That marked the eighth consecutive quality start for the three-time Cy Young Award winner, who has pitched at least six innings in all 22 outings this year. Kershaw tossed five scoreless innings in his last matchup with the Yankees in 2016 and has yielded only two runs and 10 hits over 20 innings spread over three career meetings.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Yankees activated RHP Cory Gearrin, who was claimed off waivers from Seattle on Friday, and optioned RHP Jonathan Loaisiga to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
2. Dodgers C Russell Martin was placed on the bereavement list and the team recalled C Austin Barnes from Triple-A Oklahoma City.
3. New York 2B Gleyber Torres is 9-for-20 with three home runs during his five-game hitting streak.