With runners on the corners and the Yankees down 3-2, a loud “We want Soto” chant broke out in the Bronx on Sunday. Seconds later, the man filling in for the inflamed slugger did his best impression of him.
That’s when Trent Grisham, questionably penciled in as the fifth hitter for the first time this season, smoked a Tyler Glasnow fastball to right field. The 107.7-mph, 394-foot pull shot helped the Yankees avoid a sweep with a 6-4 win over the Dodgers on “Sunday Night Baseball.”
The Stadium gets LOUD. Trent Grisham gives the @Yankees the lead with a 3-run shot! #SundayNightBaseball pic.twitter.com/zeUb1ZWlCh
— MLB (@MLB) June 10, 2024
When Grisham returned to the plate in the eighth inning, Yankees fans revised their earlier chant.
“We want Grisham,” the apologetic crowd bellowed.
Prior to this week, Grisham had not played much this season. But with right fielder Juan Soto battling forearm inflammation, Grisham has been manning center with Aaron Judge sliding over to right.
Grisham also hit a home run in Thursday’s win over the Twins. Three of his five hits this season have left the yard.
While Grisham gave the Yankees a late lead, Oswaldo Cabrera provided an early one with his first longball since May 1. The third-inning solo homer preceded an RBI double from Judge later in the inning.
Glasnow ended up allowing eight hits and five earned runs over six innings despite striking out 12. He also totaled one walk and 104 pitches.
Meanwhile, the Dodgers erased the Yankees’ initial 2-0 lead, as Luis Gil finally looked hittable against one of the best offenses in baseball.
Still, the right-hander held his own, tallying 5.2 innings, five hits, three earned runs, one walk, five strikeouts and 96 pitches.
The Dodgers’ first two runs came on a Mookie Betts double in the fifth. Teoscar Hernández then drilled his third homer of the series, a solo blast, in the sixth.
With Luke Weaver on the mound, Will Smith drove in another Dodgers run with an eighth-inning sac fly. Judge tried his best to gun down fellow superstar Shohei Ohtani on the play, but the speedy DH beat a strong throw to the plate.
However, Judge got the last laugh, demolishing his 24th homer 434 feet in the bottom of the inning. The moonshot got the Yankees their run back, and they shook hands at the end of the night after Clay Holmes shut the door.
Aaron Judge DEEP into the night. #SundayNightBaseball pic.twitter.com/XT7TX5obug
— MLB (@MLB) June 10, 2024
While the Yankees won in thrilling fashion on Sunday, they lost just their third series of the year after dropping an 11-inning affair on Friday and getting blown out on Saturday.
The team also lost series to the Blue Jays and Orioles.
With a potential World Series preview now behind them, the Yankees will head to Kansas City. There they will play four games against the second-place Royals.
Carlos Rodón will face Seth Lugo, who is in line for an All-Star nod, on Monday. From there, Marcus Stroman, Cody Poteet and Nestor Cortes will close out the series for the Yankees.
As for the Royals, Brady Singer will start on Tuesday, while Alec Marsh will take the ball on Thursday. Kansas City had not announced its Wednesday starter at the time of publication.