Overbay's pinch RBI carries Yankees
LOS ANGELES -- Two games in Hollywood between two of the most storied franchises in baseball history, two heroic endings.
Only on Wednesday, it was the New York Yankees who came through in the ninth inning, a day after the Dodgers walked off with their 10th win in 11 games.
Pinch hitter Lyle Overbay broke a scoreless tie with a ninth-inning RBI single, and the Yankees halted the scorching Dodgers' run with a 3-0 win Wednesday night at Dodger Stadium.
The Dodgers had won four straight and 27 of 33 since mid-June -- tied for the best stretch in team history -- and with Clayton Kershaw firing on all cylinders, it looked as if their hot streak would continue. If only they could get a little offense.
New York did, though, even if it came a little late.
Overbay, who accounted for both of the Yankees' runs Tuesday in a 3-2 loss to the Dodgers with a home run and an RBI groundout, pinch-hit for first baseman Brent Lillibridge with two outs in the top of the ninth. Overbay drove a Paco Rodriguez offering into center field to score Robinson Cano, his 46th RBI of the year.
"The game plan was to make sure the slider stayed up, but I didn't stick with my game plan," Overbay said. "He finally tossed one with his last pitch, and I was able to swing on it."
Added Dodgers manager Don Mattingly: "They all sting from the standpoint of a loss. This was a game we played well enough to still be playing. We were out of that inning ..."
The Yankees were able to score two more on a big Los Angeles gaffe.
After Overbay knocked in the first run, Jayson Nix strolled to the plate with two runners on base and popped up to Dodgers second baseman Mark Ellis. Los Angeles rookie right fielder Yasiel Puig sprinted into Ellis, causing him to drop the ball, and Ichiro Suzuki and Overbay scored to put the Yankees ahead 3-0.
"We've got to try to be louder," Mattingly said. "It's one of those in the middle. If Yasiel has got it, he's got to be the one who's loudest."
The abrupt ending spoiled a tremendous pitching performance from both starters.
Kershaw and New York's Hiroki Kuroda both entered the game looking to close out sensational months of July, and neither disappointed.
Kuroda, who sported a 0.69 ERA in July before the game, allowed no runs and five hits in seven innings while striking out eight.
A.J. Ellis and Andre Ethier had two hits each for the Dodgers, but Kuroda shut down the lineup overall. Los Angeles batters struck out 10 times.
"That's his attitude, no matter who he's facing," Yankees catcher Chris Stewart said. "He's going to go out there and give you the best he has; most of the time it's pretty darn good. Very rarely does he not have his best stuff out there."
Kershaw allowed no runs on five hits and no walks in eight innings. He struck out five.
Kershaw allowed five hits and struck out five in eight scoreless innings.
Mattingly decided to pull Kershaw after 97 pitches, though, as he noticed some fatigue in his ace.
"It was the answer he gave me," Mattingly said when asked why he replaced his ace. "I can always tell. With Clayton, it's either, 'I'm good, I got this,' but when he gives you another answer -- he won't ever tell you he can't go back out -- I could tell he'd had enough."
Ronald Belisario (4-6) entered and walked Derek Jeter. Pinch runner Eduardo Nunez was forced out on Robinson Cano's grounder, and Alfonso Soriano's grounder moved Cano to second. After an intentional walk to Suzuki, Rodriguez replaced Belisario and served up the decisive pitch to Overbay.
NOTES: The representatives of Yankees 3B Alex Rodriguez are reportedly working on a deal to prevent Rodriguez from receiving a lifetime ban from baseball for his role in the Biogenesis scandal. ... Dodgers OF Matt Kemp could be sidelined until September as he deals with a lingering sprained ankle. Kemp, who was re-injured July 21, will be eligible to be activated Aug. 6. ... The Dodgers recalled OF Scott Van Slyke from Triple-A Albuquerque. Van Slyke, expected to see duty with Kemp out longer than expected, filled the roster spot of UT Elian Herrera, who was optioned back down to Triple-A. ... Yankees C Francisco Cervelli could be out for the year with elbow and finger injuries, though he could also be suspended by MLB for his alleged involvement with Biogenesis. ... The Dodgers acquired C Drew Butera from the Minnesota Twins in exchange for a player to be named alter or cash considerations. Butera, batting .182 in his major league career, was optioned to Albuquerque. ... Los Angeles SS Hanley Ramirez had an 11-game hitting streak snapped. He went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts.
