Power up! Yanks hit 3 HRs off Kershaw, capture series
New York takes 2 of 3 at Dodger Stadium in potential World Series preview
LOS ANGELES — DJ LeMahieu, Aaron Judge and Mike Ford homered, Domingo German outdueled Clayton Kershaw for his major league-leading 17th win, and the New York Yankees defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-1 Sunday night at Dodger Stadium.
The Yankees set a major league record for most homers in a month with 61 in August. They slugged nine in taking two of three games in a series touted as a potential World Series preview to remain tied with Houston for the best record in the American League at 85-47.
German (17-3) allowed one run and four hits in 5 1/3 innings. The righthander struck out five and walked two.
New York won its 11th straight game against a left-handed starter and is 25-14 against lefties this season.
Kershaw (13-3) gave up three homers for the second straight game and has allowed 21 this season, second-most in his career. The lefthander allowed three runs and four hits in seven innings. He struck out a season-high 12 and walked none.
Kershaw had won11consecutive interleague decisions — tied for second-most all time — and each of his last six decisions overall.
Ford extended the Yankees’ lead to 3-1 in the sixth, homering into the right field pavilion on the first pitch from Kershaw.
Ford’s RBI double to deep left field made it 4-1 in the eighth. He went 2-for-3 after entering as a pinch hitter in the third after shortstop Didi Gregorius got hit by a pitch from Kershaw in the first and later left the game.
Judge, who wears No. 99, launched his 99th career homer in the third, snapping a 1-all tie.
He nearly reached the century mark with a runner on in the eighth. Judge sent a deep fly to center field that A.J. Pollock snagged with the sun in his eyes and his back hitting the wall.
The Dodgers tied it with Joc Pederson’s solo shot, his 26th, on
German’s first pitch leading off the bottom of the first.
LeMahieu homered to start the game, sending a 1-and-1 pitch into center field, where smoke billowed from a brushfire located 8 miles away. It was the seventh time Kershaw has given up a home run in the first inning this season.
In the third, Brett Gardner robbed Corey Seager of a potential three-run homer that would have put the Dodgers ahead. Instead, the Yankees center fielder made a grab at the wall to end the inning.
The series ended quietly after plenty of drama in the first two games.
The Yankees hit five homers — including a grand slam by Gregorius — to win the opener 10-2 Friday.
The Dodgers rebounded with a 2-1 victory Saturday after closer Kenley Jansen escaped a bases-loaded jam with consecutive strikeouts to end the game.
Gregorius sustained a right shoulder bruise Sunday from being drilled by a pitch from Kershaw in the first inning.
He left in the third and was to have X-rays taken later at the stadium.
Trainer’s room
Yankees lefthander Jordan Montgomery, recovering from Tommy John surgery on June 7 last year, began his minor league rehab assignment with two perfect innings and two strikeouts for Class A Tampa.
First baseman-DH Edwin Encarnicion (broken right wrist) took the day off after playing soft toss, running and hitting off a tee a day earlier.
Luke Voit (sports hernia) went 3-for-5 with an RBI and played first base in his third rehab game at Triple A.