After winning the first game of the doubleheader, the Dodgers were playing with house money in the second game, but it was still rather frustrating to see the pen wiggle out of jams and use all their leverage arms only for the offense to sleepwalk through this one in a 2-1 loss to the Yankees.
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The pen game for the Dodgers started with Will Klein, and unfortunately also some two-out damage. A double and Cody Bellinger single drove in a run to make it 1-0 Yankees, and yet another single followed before Klein was able to stop the bleeding.
On the board courtesy of Belli ? pic.twitter.com/UTs1KuMIYW
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) July 19, 2026
Kyle Hurt took over in the 2nd, issuing a two-out walk but nothing else, and he repeated the exact same result in the 3rd. Edgardo Henriquez entered for the 4th and looked rusty, giving up back-to-back one-out walks and then uncorking a wild pitch to put a pair in scoring position. However, he got a grounder to Max Muncy at third and he got the runner going for home after a nice tag by Eliezer Alfonzo Jr.
Henriquez looking rusty with a pair of walks and a wild pitch doesn’t lead to damage thanks to a Muncy/Alfonzo combo to get a runner at the plate. pic.twitter.com/wT86hc7wPn
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) July 20, 2026
Jack Dreyer was next up and got a groundout to end that big threat in the 4th. He continued in the 5th and disaster struck with three consecutive singles to start that loaded things with nobody out. Dave Roberts then turned to Brock Stewart, and he responded in a big way with a strikeout, foul pop, and strikeout to keep the game close.
After three consecutive singles start the 5th to load things up with nobody out, Brock Stewart enters and goes strikeout, foul pop, and strikeout to escape a massive jam. pic.twitter.com/mq5CwVJBlt
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) July 20, 2026
Stewart continued in the 6th by sailing through a nine-pitch frame, and Alex Vesia followed by striking out the side in the 7th, finishing just one pitch from an immaculate inning.
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To the other side.
Ryan Yarbrough started the pen game for the Yankees, retiring the first eight he faced. Eliezer Alfonzo Jr. then came up with a single, his first MLB hit, before Shohei Ohtani followed with one of his own to knock Yarbrough out.
Longer video: pic.twitter.com/NCkaxAssEY
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) July 20, 2026
Paul Blackburn then entered and got out of that mini-jam to end the 3rd. He then faced the minimum in the 4th due to a lead-off walk being erased by a double play, and repeated the feat in the 5th when a lead-off single was erased by a double play.
The 6th was given to Brent Headrick, who responded with a clean inning that was mostly notable for Shohei scaring the life out of every Dodgers fan.
What a psycho, tbh. pic.twitter.com/bTWa2IVoWE
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) July 20, 2026
Headrick continued in the 7th and also continued to cruise through that frame. Fernando Cruz then entered in the 8th and immediately gave up Tommy Edman‘s second homer of the season to tie things up at 1-1.
Tommy Edman pinch-hits and continues to be a revelation since his return, homering to tie the game at 1-1 just like that. pic.twitter.com/Abljo2rr4R
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) July 20, 2026
Cruz rebounded with an out, but then issued back-to-back walks and that was the end of his night. David Bednar entered and got two huge outs to strand the two runners and end the 8th.
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Unfortunately, that tie didn’t last long, as Evan Phillips came in for the 8th, got a strikeout, and then gave up a solo shot to Jazz Chisholm Jr. to make it 2-1 Yankees.
Hit that Euro step, Jazz ? pic.twitter.com/4KXGJpiQ9E
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) July 20, 2026
A double and a walk followed and he seemed on the ropes, but he rebounded with a groundout that left the runners cornered, gave up a stolen base to put a pair in scoring position, but stranded them both with an infield pop.
Now going for the save, Bednar continued in the 9th but started with a walk. No matter as he got the next three for a relatively easy save.
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63-37 on the year, ruining any dream of a perfect second-half record.
The road trip now moves to Philadelphia for a three-game series against the Phillies starting on ESPN at 1:00 PM HT/4:00 PM PT/7:00 PM ET. It’ll be Emmet Sheehan on the bump against Christopher Sanchez in what is not an ideal matchup on paper.
