Ohtani and Dodgers Outshine Judge’s Yankees in a Hollywood-Style Thriller
Man, if you didn’t catch Friday night’s Yankees vs. Dodgers game at Dodger Stadium, you missed a true baseball spectacle. It may have been late May on the calendar, but this one had the energy and intensity of October. You could feel the electricity from the very first pitch—and it didn’t disappoint. It was a heavyweight battle: Aaron Judge squaring off with Shohei Ohtani, power meeting power, coast against coast. And in front of a roaring crowd of over 53,000, the Dodgers walked away with an 8-5 victory that felt like a statement.
Right out the gate, Judge blasted a 446-foot home run to center field, like he wanted to set the tone. But Ohtani wasn’t about to let that slide. He answered back with a 417-foot shot of his own in the very same inning. That moment? Historic. It marked the first time in baseball history—yes, including the postseason—that two reigning MVPs homered in the same inning. It was like a movie script unfolding in real-time.
The entire night felt like a preview of another Yankees-Dodgers World Series. Fans were hyped, suites were going for $15,000, and the stars were out, both in the dugouts and in the Hollywood crowd. But beyond the buzz, it was Ohtani who stole the spotlight, smashing his 21st and 22nd homers of the season. That brings his May total to 15—tying a franchise record set way back in 1985. He’s now on pace for a jaw-dropping 63 home runs and 173 runs scored. Unreal.
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Meanwhile, Judge did his part—crushing his AL-leading 19th homer and adding his 15th double. His current batting average is a league-best .392 with a 1.236 OPS. It’s like both of these guys are in their own tier of greatness, pushing each other higher.
Pitching-wise, the Yankees started strong with Max Fried, who came in undefeated and boasting a 1.29 ERA. But even a 5-2 lead couldn’t hold back the Dodgers' surge. L.A. lit up Fried and the bullpen for four runs in the sixth and two more in the seventh—eerily reminiscent of last year’s World Series Game 5 collapse when the Yankees let a 5-0 lead slip away.
After the game, even Judge admitted the atmosphere was electric. “This is Yankee baseball,” he said, “especially going against the Dodgers.” And Dodgers manager Dave Roberts summed it up best: “We love superstars. To start with Judge going deep and then Shohei answering—it was pretty exciting for everyone.”
At the end of the day, the Dodgers once again looked like the defending champions they are, and Shohei Ohtani reminded the world why he’s not just one of the best—he might be the best.
Round two is coming up, and if this first game was any indication, we’re in for another instant classic.
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