Jake Bauers and Aaron Judge power Yankees to win over Dodgers

Michael Grove improves as Dodgers’ rotation decision looms, Julio Urías nears return

By Jack Harris

The most important pitches thrown off the Dodger Stadium mound Saturday happened when the stands were still empty, the gates still closed.

Hours before the Dodgers’ 6-3 loss to the New York Yankees, injured left-hander Julio Urías completed his biggest step yet in his recovery from a hamstring strain. During a roughly 30-pitch bullpen session, the club's opening day starter showed few limitations, using his entire pitch mix while building up to about 80% intensity.

"He was good today," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.

If all goes to plan, Urías could return to action as soon as next weekend in Philadelphia. That would not only represent his first start in almost a month but also leave the banged-up Dodgers with a very different kind of rotation question than they have faced for much of this season.

Dodgers fall to Yankees after giving up four home runs

By Austin Knoblauch

⚾ Yankees 6, Dodgers 3 — FINAL

Top of the ninth: Facing Tayler Scott, Josh Donaldson grounded out and DJ LeMahieu struck out. Victor González then took over on the mound and promptly gave up a solo home run to Oswaldo Cabrera, who smacked the ball 404 feet into the left-field pavilion. It was the fourth home run on the afternoon for the Yankees. Isiah Kiner-Falefa grounded out to end the frame.

Bottom of the ninth: Facing Yankees reliever Clay Holmes, Austin Barnes popped out and Miguel Rojas lined out. Mookie Betts drew a walk. Freddie Freeman lined out to shortstop Anthony Volpe to end the game.

Final: Yankees 6, Dodgers 3#Dodgers are 35-24Dodgers missed a few chances to rally late. Only their third time in the last 16 games scoring fewer than five runs

Jake Bauers hit a pair of two-run home runs to give the Yankees an early lead before Aaron Judge hit a solo homer in the sixth – his 19th home run of the season.

Gerrit Cole (7-0, 2.82 ERA) provided six solid innings, giving up four hits, one earned run, walking one and striking out five. He left the game after experiencing cramping.

Dodgers starter Michael Grove (0-2, 8.14 ERA) gave up four hits, four earned runs, walked none and struck out seven over five innings.

David Peralta, Miguel Vargas and Miguel Rojas each drove in runs for the Dodgers.

After the game, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Trayce Thompson sustained a strained oblique on a check swing and likely will be placed on the injured list.

Gate-crashing catch by Aaron Judge helps Yankees maintain lead

By Austin Knoblauch

⚾ Yankees 5, Dodgers 3 — End of the eighth

Top of the eighth: Reliever Tayler Scott made his Dodgers debut, striking out Anthony Volpe. Gleyber Torres flied out to center, Aaron Judge walked and Anthony Rizzo flied out.

Bottom of the eighth: Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge made a spectacular, running catch on a deep fly ball off the bat of J.D. Martinez, crashing into the visitor bullpen gate and pushing it open. Max Muncy, who reached first on a throwing error by catcher Jose Trevino, advanced to second after the catch. Chris Taylor flied out to center, moving Muncy to third. Michael King struck out Miguel Vargas to send the game to the ninth.

The Captain does it all. pic.twitter.com/F5WwO67w8E

Miguel Vargas and Miguel Rojas drive in runs for Dodgers

By Austin Knoblauch

⚾ Yankees 5, Dodgers 3 — End of the seventh

Top of the seventh: Dodgers reliever Alex Vesia retired the Yankees in order. He struck out Jake Bauers, Isiah Kiner-Falefa flied out and Jose Trevino lined out.

Bottom of the seventh: Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole was replaced by Wandy Peralta after experiencing cramping, according to Fox on-field reporter Ken Rosenthal. Chris Taylor led off with a single down the left-field line. He then scored on a triple by Miguel Vargas into the left-field corner. After Peralta walked Trayce Thompson, Michael King took the mound for the Yankees. Miguel Rojas singled to center to score Vargas. Mookie Betts lined out to short and Freddie Freeman lined out to first. King struck out Will Smith to end the rally.

Aaron Judge homers off Shelby Miller to extend Yankees’ lead

By Austin Knoblauch

⚾ Yankees 5, Dodgers 1 — End of the sixth

Top of the sixth: Aaron Judge hit his 19th home run of the season off Dodgers reliever Shelby Miller to extend the Yankees’ lead. The home run came off a liner into the left field corner. The Yankees have scored all of their runs off homers, with Jake Bauers hitting homers in the second and fourth innings. Miller struck out Anthony Rizzo, then Josh Donaldson lined out to left. DJ LeMahieu struck out to cap the frame.

Cali Crush. #AllRise pic.twitter.com/lVLKXuLmX3

Bottom of the sixth: Freddie Freeman led off with a single to left before Will Smith hit into a 6-4-3 double play. After Max Muncy drew a walk, J.D. Martinez flied out to right-center field.

Dodgers trail 4-1 heading into the sixth inning

By Austin Knoblauch

⚾ Yankees 4, Dodgers 1 — End of the fifth

Top of the fifth: Jose Trevino lined out, Anthony Volpe lined out and Gleyber Torres grounded out.

Bottom of the fifth: Gerrit Cole struck out James Outman before Miguel Rojas singled on a sharp liner to left. Rojas was caught stealing, then Cole struck out Mookie Betts.

Jake Bauers hits another home run to extend Yankees’ lead

By Austin Knoblauch

⚾ Yankees 4, Dodgers 1 — End of the fourth

Top of the fourth: Anthony Rizzo singled to left before Michael Grove struck out Josh Donaldson and DJ LeMahieu. Jake Bauers hit his second home run of the game, another two-run blast to right field to extend the Yankees’ lead. Isiah Kiner-Falefa lined out to center to end the frame.

Bottom of the fourth: Will Smith singled to right and Gerrit Cole walked Max Muncy. J.D. Martinez and Jason Heyward each flied out and David Peralta grounded into a force out at second to strand a runner.

Dodgers trail 2-1 heading into the fourth inning

By Austin Knoblauch

⚾ Yankees 2, Dodgers 1 — End of the third

Top of the third: Michael Grove struck out Anthony Volpe, Gleyber Torres lined out to left and Aaron Judge struck out.

Bottom of the third: Miguel Rojas and Mookie Betts each flied out and Freddie Freeman struck out.

Jake Bauers powers Yankees into lead on two-run homer

By Austin Knoblauch

⚾ Yankees 2, Dodgers 1 — End of the second

Top of the second: Michael Grove struck out Josh Donaldson, who hit two home runs against the Dodgers on Friday. DJ LeMahieu reached third on what should have been a single when Dodgers center fielder James Outman overran the one-hop, letting the ball roll to the wall. Jake Bauers followed with a two-run home run to right field, putting the Yankees on the board. It was Bauers’ fourth homer of the season. Grove struck out Isiah Kiner-Falefa and caught Jose Trevino looking on an 86-mph slider to get out of the inning.

Jake Rakes 💪 pic.twitter.com/lqe0wfUoBE

Bottom of the second: Max Muncy popped out to short, J.D. Martinez flied out to center before Gerrit Cole hit Jason Heyward with a pitch. David Peralta then drove in Heyward on a perfectly placed fly ball that dropped just inside the left-field foul line between three Yankees players for a freakish double. Heyward's hard-charging baserunning on two outs made the run possible. Cole struck out James Outman to end the inning.

Dodgers and Yankees scoreless heading into the second

By Austin Knoblauch

⚾ Yankees 0, Dodgers 0 — End of the first inning

Top of the first: Facing Dodgers pitcher Michael Grove, Gleyber Torres lined out sharply to Miguel Rojas at short, Aaron Judge flied out to right and Anthony Rizzo flied out to center.

Bottom of the first: Yankees starting pitcher Gerrit Cole got Mookie Betts to pop out to second. Freddie Freeman flied out to center field and Will Smith struck out.

Michael Grove just touched 98 mph with his fastball. His velo was up during his recent rehab stint after returning from his groin injury

Dodgers place Phil Bickford on 15-day IL; Julio Urías throws bullpen

By Jack Harris

The Dodgers had to make a move in the bullpen before Saturday's game, as Phil Bickford was placed on the 15-day injured list with lower back tightness.

Tayler Scott, who’d been with the team on the taxi squad, was called up in a corresponding move.

In better injury news for the Dodgers, injured left-hander Julio Urías threw roughly 30 pitches in a bullpen session on the main mound at Dodger Stadium.

Manager Dave Roberts said Urías is next scheduled to throw three to four innings of live batting practice on Tuesday, and could return to action as soon as next weekend's series in Philadelphia.

What happened after the Dodgers let three key players leave? They got better

By Dylan Hernández

When Mookie Betts stepped into the batter's box for the final time on Friday night, the stakes were minimal — except they weren't.

The Dodgers had a six-run lead over the New York Yankees in the bottom of the eighth inning. But there were two outs, which meant Betts had to reach base for Freddie Freeman to have a chance to extend his 20-game hitting streak.

Betts knew what was on the line.

"Absolutely," he said with a smile. "All of us did."