Ohtani and Judge trade bombs in electrifying Dodgers–Yankees clash

Los Angeles Dodgers came from behind to defeat the New York Yankees 8–5 in the first game of a three-game set at Dodger Stadium. Tony Gonsolin picked up his third win of the season, while Max Fried suffered his first loss. Alex Vesia closed out the game, earning his second save.

Ohtani and Judge trade bombs in electrifying Dodgers–Yankees clash

Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani wasted no time lighting up the night. The Yankees slugger opened the scoring with a solo homer to center in the top of the first, and the Japanese star answered immediately with a nearly identical blast in the bottom half. It marked the first time the reigning MVPs in both leagues homered in the first inning of the same game.

Shohei Ohtani’s league-leading 21st home run! 💪 pic.twitter.com/ln4gYqrfL5

— MLB (@MLB) May 31, 2025

Austin Wells kept the momentum going for New York with a leadoff homer in the second, driving a fastball from Gonsolin out over the right-center fence. The Yankees’ bats stayed hot as Trent Grisham launched the team’s third homer of the night, driving in Oswald Peraza to make it 4–1.  The Dodgers inched closer in the bottom of the frame when Kiké Hernández brought home Tommy Edman with a sacrifice grounder. But the Yankees weren’t done. In the third, veteran Paul Goldschmidt sent one out to right, extending the visitors’ lead to 5–2.

Going for Gold 👊 pic.twitter.com/EwIHet2nBg

— New York Yankees (@Yankees) May 31, 2025

Ohtani’s power show continued in the sixth, as he smashed his second home run of the night – his 22nd of the 2025 season – off Fried. That would be Fried’s final act. Freddie Freeman followed up by driving in Teoscar Hernández with a double to left, and Andy Pagés tied the game with a run-scoring single off Jonathan Loáisiga. The Dodgers grabbed the lead later in the inning when Tim Hill walked Michael Conforto with the bases loaded, allowing Pagés to score.

Los Angeles tacked on two more runs in the seventh, courtesy of a Pagés single up the middle that plated Will Smith and Freeman. The inning spiraled for the Yankees, as Yerry De Los Santos failed to record three outs, forcing Brent Headrick to take over.

Two home runs tonight for Shohei Ohtani and 22 on the year 🤯#FridayNightBaseball pic.twitter.com/aEn9Jp1v2k

— MLB (@MLB) May 31, 2025

Alex Vesia sealed the win in the ninth despite allowing a hit to Grisham. Judge flied out to Hyeseong Kim in right, Cody Bellinger lined out to Edman in center, and Goldschmidt’s liner was snagged by Max Muncy to end it.