LOS ANGELES – The night was filled with excitement: L.A. legend Ice Cube’s pregame performance, the crack of Dodger bats, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s well-deserved standing ovation. Dodger Stadium’s vibrant atmosphere was amplified by booming center-field speakers, setting a festive tone for Game 2.
But the high energy shifted when Shohei Ohtani, attempting a seventh-inning steal, injured his left shoulder, collapsing on the field in pain. The stadium fell silent, and tension rose as the Yankees mounted a late comeback attempt in the ninth inning. Despite the weight of Ohtani’s injury, the Dodgers found momentum from Freddie Freeman’s standout performance the night before, securing a 4-2 win and taking a commanding 2-0 lead in this best-of-seven series.
Freeman, still battling a sprained right ankle, hit another home run, joined by NLCS MVP Tommy Edman and All-Star Teoscar Hernández, while Yamamoto delivered 6⅓ one-hit innings. Although the mood turned somber with Ohtani’s injury, the Dodgers remained resilient. The Yankees kept fans on edge, scoring a run and loading the bases in the ninth, but the Dodgers ultimately held their ground.
Historically, teams with a 2-0 lead in a best-of-seven postseason series have advanced 84% of the time, winning 77 out of 92 series. Under the 2-3-2 format, teams winning the first two games at home have gone on to win the series 80% of the time (45 out of 56 series), further boosting the Dodgers’ confidence in their position.
