Yankees avoid getting swept by Dodgers despite hitless night from Aaron Judge

Ryan Yarbrough limited baseball’s best offense to four hits over six innings, Ben Rice hit a tiebreaking two-run homer and the New York Yankees defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 7-3 on Sunday to avoid getting swept for the first time this season.

The Dodgers outscored the Yankees 26-7 in winning the first two games of their World Series rematch, including an 18-2 rout Saturday. But right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the stalwart on a staff ravaged by injuries, labored from the start in front of 54,031, the largest crowd of the season at Dodger Stadium.

Yarbrough (3-0) allowed one run and struck out five in his fifth start of the year. He was a reliever for the Dodgers last season and received his World Series ring while in town.

Yamamoto (6-4) gave up a season-high seven hits while striking out two in 3 2/3 innings, both season lows. The Japanese right-hander permitted four runs and walked three.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto gave up a season-high seven hits while striking out two in 3 2/3 innings, both season lows.(Photo by Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images)

New York's DJ LeMahieu had his first four-hit game since 2021.

The Yankees led 1-0 on Jasson Dominguez's RBI single in the first. Left fielder Andy Pages' throw sailed over the head of catcher Will Smith. Backing up Smith, Yamamoto made a pinpoint throw to second, but Kike Hernandez dropped the ball and Domínguez was safe.

Domínguez later left the game with a bruised left thumb.

Tommy Edman tied the game with a two-out homer in the second. After that, Yarbrough retired 13 of his next 15 batters. Pages and Max Muncy homered in the seventh.

The Yankees took a 4-1 lead in the third. Rice's 425-foot homer to center field scored Aaron Judge, who