The Los Angeles Dodgers beat the New York Yankees 2-1 in the series opener at Yankee Stadium, their first game back in the Bronx since winning the first of consecutive World Series titles in 2024. In the seventh inning, Gerrit Cole has just walked Mookie Betts leading off the frame when Yankees manager Aaron Boone comes to the mound. After a brief pause and an eight-second conversation, Boone decides to keep Cole in the game.
Seven pitches later, Cole faces Max Muncy, who hits a two-run home run off a hanging slider, sending it to the right-field second deck and putting the Dodgers ahead for good at 2-1. The Los Angeles Times and Yahoo Sports also highlight the timing of the decision as Cole’s continuation leads directly to the decisive swing.
Other coverage notes Roki Sasaki’s strong performance as part of the Dodgers’ effort to secure the narrow win. The common thread across reports is that the late-inning decision to leave Cole in precedes Muncy’s homer and the Dodgers’ go-ahead runs.
