About Last Night: LAD 8, NYY 5

By Ethan Semendinger

May 31st, 2025

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They should outlaw losses on the West Coast for East Coast teams, starting tonight...meaning Saturday.

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Quick Stats -

• Winning Pitcher: Tony Gonsolin (3-1, 5.23 ERA)

• Losing Pitcher: Max Fried (7-1, 1.92 ERA)

• Save: Alex Vesia (2)

• Home Runs (New York): Aaron Judge (19), Austin Wells (9), Trent Grisham (13), Paul Goldschmidt (6)

• Home Runs (Los Angeles): Shohei Ohtani [x2] (21, 22)

Big Story - Let me start this game summary by asking you- the reader- a question: When you were growing up, did you want to be a professional athlete?

I think I can speak for most of us by saying that the answer is unequivocally, "Yes".

But, over the years I have grown to appreciate that I am not a professional athlete, as I think many of us who work in all the other wonderful and interesting professions around the world also think.

Just imagine trying to live out of a suitcase for half of the year. Constantly on the road to some new city. Never having a dull moment to yourself when out in public. Hearing your name being spoken everywhere. That one little mistake being blown out of proportion into a catastrophe. Everybody wanting a piece of you for your fame, but nobody wanting to know you.

That must stink.

It also must stink more when your family, your wife, your kids, your parents, your family, and your friends all live on the other side of the country. On these games, where the Yankees play on the West Coast, it stinks for us East Coasters.

But, this is also a major reason why the MLB shifted the schedule so that every team, at least every two years, will play in every ballpark in the MLB.

This gives those players with family, and friends, and everything else back home a chance to see their son, friend, or hero.

Here was the Yankees' line-up to match Max Fried in the first game of the weekend series against the Los Angeles Dodgers:

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Player(s) of the Game -

• Aaron Judge: 2-5, Run, Double, Home Run, 1 RBI, K

Notable Performances -

• Trent Grisham: 2-5, Run, Home Run, 2 RBI's, K

• Paul Goldschmidt: 1-5, Run, Home Run, 1 RBI

• Ben Rice: 2-3, BB

• Austin Wells: 1-3, Run, Home Run, 1 RBI

Better to Forget -

• Max Fried: 5.0 IP, 8 H, 6 R (6 ER), 0 BB's, 3 K's

• Yerry De los Santos: 0.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R (2 ER), 0 BB's, 0 K's

• Cody Bellinger: 0-4, BB

• Anthony Volpe: 0-4, K

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The Game - The MLB couldn't have asked for a better beginning to the game last night. Aaron Judge immediately got the Yankees on board with a solo home run for his 19th of the year in the top of the first. To counter this, Shohei Ohtani immediately hit a solo home run of his own- number 21 on the year- to tie the game at one apiece after one inning.

The Yankees then came out firing in the second inning as Austin Wells (solo) and Trent Grisham (2-run) both homered, giving the Yankees a quick 4-1 lead. The Dodgers would add a run via the contact play (it never works!) themselves in the second inning.

And, would you believe it, Paul Goldschmidt hit a solo home run to start the 3rd inning! Of the Yankees 5 hits to this point, 4 of them left the ballpark...unfortunately, that would be the end their offensive fun. The Yankees went down 1-2-3 in each of the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings; being saved by an Aaron Judge seventh inning double to end the pain. Save an eighth inning pinch-hit single by Jasson Dominguez and a ninth inning single by Trent Grisham and that accounts for all the Yankees hits last night.

Meanwhile, Max Fried lost it in the 6th inning. First, Shohei Ohtani hit his second home run of the night. Then, the Dodgers started a hit parade: single, single, and RBI double before Fried was pulled out of the game for Jonathan Loaisiga with a 5-4 lead. Then, an RBI single tied the game before a fielders choice helped break up the contact play (I told you!)...before an intentional walk and unintentional walk (pitched by Tim Hill) allowed the Dodgers 6th run to score.

The Dodgers would tack on their 7th and 8th runs in the eighth inning thanks to a single-double-RBI single combo by Will Smith, Freddie Freeman, and Andy Pages.

And, that was the ballgame.

I wish the game was more exciting, and it was early, but unfortunately, the Yankees tend to be either SUPER HOT or super cold. In the first 3 innings, the Yankees came out with a vengeance. For the last 6 innings, the Yankees just slowly broke down.

...as did I, trying to stay awake as the clock neared- and went past- 1:00 AM.

The Yankees lose.

Darnit.

But, if there is any positive to get out of this game, it's that I truly get to be the first to wish you all a good morning. I can't imagine anybody else writing out a good morning message this early...even though the clock is nearly striking 2:00 AM.

I gotta go to bed. Goodnight! (And, Good Morning!)

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Next Up - The Yankees will play game 2 of 3 against the Los Angels Dodgers later tonight, starting at 7:15 EDT. Will Warren (3-2, 4.09 ERA) will take the mound for the Yankees, as Landon Knack (2-2, 5.22 ERA) will pitch for the Dodgers. Game on FOX.