LOS ANGELES — Shortly before the start of Game 2 of the World Series, Ice Cube emerged from an opening in the center field wall of Dodger Stadium.
Wearing a shiny blue Dodgers jacket, matching hat and Nikes, the rapper made his way from the warning track to the mound and then home plate. Each step was accompanied by a beat, as the Los Angeles native performed “Bow Down” and “It Was A Good Day” in an effort to thrill his hometown audience.
A dancing Alex Verdugo – a former Dodger – also enjoyed the performance, even though the first song ended with a shot at his Yankees.
“Bow down to a team that’s bigger than you,” O’Shea Jackson Sr. demanded, pointing to the Yankees dugout. He then asked a roaring Chavez Ravine, “Are we going to win Game 2 or what?” before moving on to his second song.
The answer turned out to be yes, as the Dodgers won Game 2, 4-2, on Saturday. After being eliminated in Game 1, the Yankees now face a 2-0 series deficit with the Fall Classic returning to New York.
Ice Cube gets Dodger Stadium going #WorldSeries Game 2! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/qBVBktrzjW
– MLB (@MLB) October 27, 2024
Carlos Rodón played a big role in the Yankees’ inability to even the Series, as their No. 2 starter lasted just 3.1 innings in the first World Series start of his career. The left-hander allowed four earned runs and six hits, including three home runs, during his short outing.
“This lineup is pretty powerful,” Rodón predicted Friday. “They can definitely swing it.”
The Dodgers’ first home run came from the red-hot Tommy Edman, who hit a solo shot in the second inning. Juan Soto quickly tied the game with an empty-netter blast against Yoshinobu Yamamoto in the third.
However, established Yankees killer Teoscar Hernández and Freddie Freeman – the Dodgers’ Grand Slam hero Game 1 – hit back-to-back bombs in the bottom of the inning.
Hernández made a two-point shot. Meanwhile, all three dingers Rodón gave up came on fastballs, which he threw at a 60 percent rate.
As the long ball victimized Rodón on Saturday, Yamamoto didn’t flinch after Soto pushed him deep.
The Japanese star appeared to be worth the 12-year, $325 million contract the Dodgers gave him — and outbid the Yankees with — last winter. With countless people watching him and Shohei Ohtani at home, Yamamoto drove for 6.1 innings.
Soto’s homer marked the Yankees’ only hit on the right-hander. They added a run in the ninth when a Giancarlo Stanton single ricocheted off third base, scoring Soto.
No other Yankee had a memorable night at the plate, but Aaron Judge disappointed again, going 0 for 4 with three strikeouts. The presumed American League MVP is now 6 for 40 with 19 strikeouts in October, continuing a streak of poor postseason production that dates back a few years.
“He’s so good and so mentally tough and good at handling all of that,” Boone said of Judge before Game 2. “So I want him to get results, obviously, and I want him to warms up and gets going, but I have a feeling he will.
It wasn’t all on Judge, as the Yankees failed to score with the bases loaded and one out in the ninth after Anthony Volpe struck out and pinch hitter Jose Trevino flied out.
That said, the Yankees need Judge to find his rhythm if they want to get back into this series. With Yankee Stadium set to host its first World Series game since 2009 on Monday, the odds are not in the Bombers’ favor.
But this group preached resilience throughout the season and showed the ability to bounce back from adversity. That didn’t happen Saturday, but the Yankees will try to change their fortunes with Clarke Schmidt making his first World Series start in Game 3.
Walker Buehler will start for Los Angeles as it seeks a 3-0 lead after an off day. At the time of publication, it was unclear whether Ohtani would be available for this game, as the superstar injured his shoulder during a late stolen base attempt in Game 2.
