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Yankees vs. Dodgers: Yoshinobu Yamamoto leads LA to 2-0 lead in World Series, but everyone holds their breath for Shohei Ohtani

Yoshinobu Yamamoto fulfilled his $325 million contract in Game 2 of the World Series. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

The Los Angeles Dodgers took a 2-0 lead in the World Series on Saturday, but faced the biggest question mark possible heading into the trip to New York.

The good thing for the Dodgers was an excellent start from Yoshinobu Yamamoto against the New York Yankees, while Tommy Edman, Teoscar Hernández and Game 1 hero Freddie Freeman defeated Yankees starter Carlos Rodón 4-2.

Yamamoto's only hit allowed was a home run off Juan Soto in the third inning. He then retired eleven batters in a row, ending his best start since arriving in the United States. His final record: 6 1/3 innings, 1 hit, 1 earned run, 2 walks and 4 strikeouts. Almost every one of his throws worked, especially a splitter that yielded four hits in seven swings.

The worst for the Dodgers came in the seventh inning when superstar Shohei Ohtani suffered a painful-looking shoulder injury while trying to steal second base. He left the field with a trainer and the Dodgers and the MLB league office will be holding their breath while Ohtani's shoulder is examined.

The Dodgers were still up 4-1 at that point, but there was stunned silence at Dodger Stadium as the game went to the end of the eighth quarter.

Then things got even more stressful when the Yankees got the tying run on base in the ninth with Blake Treinen, but Treinen struck out Anthony Volpe, then Alex Vesia came in and scored the game-winning win. It was stressful.

Still, a 2-0 lead in the World Series is a better starting position, even if one of the game's best players may be injured. It's the Yankees' backs that are against the wall, and they need a win with Clarke Schmidt on the mound against Walker Buehler in Game 3 on Monday.

Here's how it went at Yahoo Sports:

The live broadcast has ended80 updates

  • Now the series heads to New York for Game 3, where the Yankees are in a must-win situation with no elimination on the line.

    They will face Clarke Schmidt vs. Walker Buehler on Monday at Yankee Stadium.

  • Alex Vesia celebrates more than anyone on the Dodgers. It was no different after he got out of a bases-loaded jam in the ninth inning in the World Series.

  • Not surprisingly, Vegas likes the Dodgers' chances of securing their eighth World Series title.

  • FINAL: Dodgers 4, Yankees 2

    Alex Vesia gets away with a Trevino flyout. And breathe.

  • Treinen struck out Anthony Volpe on his 33rd pitch of the inning. Dave Roberts finally pulls it and brings Alex Vesia into the game with the game on the line. The Yankees respond with a pinch hit to Jose Trevino for Austin Wells.

  • The Dodgers keeping Blake Treinen in this game while Alex Vesia warms up in the bullpen is absolutely bizarre. Dave Roberts relies on his bullpen upper arm and things will get ugly if it goes against him.

  • Anthony Rizzo is hit by a pitch for the second time tonight.

    The bases are full of Yankees. Still only one out.

    This game was EVERYTHING from the Dodgers, and suddenly the Yankees are threatening to flip the script.

  • An eight-pitch battle between Treinen and Jazz Chisholm Jr. ends with a single to right.

    The Yankees have two baserunners, still with one out.

  • Stanton lasers a ball down the third base line. It hits the pocket and bounces in the air, staying fair. Soto scores to make it 4:2.

    Super strange setback, but the Yankees will take it. They need two more runs before there are two more outs.

  • The judge swings AGAIN. It is becoming increasingly difficult to observe his attacks.

  • Soto goes to second on a wild pitch. We have a Yankee in scoring position.

  • Soto bounces a shot off the right field wall for his second big hit of the night – and the Yankees' second hit of the night.

    One in, no one out. The Yankees need three runs.

  • Blake Treinen will try to get the final three outs to complete a 4-1 Dodgers win.

  • Ohtani injury looms large for the Dodgers

    Stealing bases had been the story of Ohtani's season as he went from being a fast but inefficient baserunner to one of baseball's best players in his first season with the Dodgers. He made MLB history with his first 50-50 season, finishing the year with 59 steals on 63 attempts, but the postseason was a different story for that skill.

    The game in which he was injured was only his second attempt at the playoffs, without success.

    Read more here.

  • The first word on Ohtani is a shoulder injury

  • Mark Leiter Jr. is in the bottom of the eighth for the Yankees.

    He gets three quick outs from Teoscar, Freeman and Edman. This one ends in a hurry.

  • Michael Kopech throws a quick 1-2-3 top-of-eighth to temporarily right the ship.

    The Yankees need the final three outs to avoid an 0-2 hole in this series.

  • Ohtani walked off the field with a trainer. It appears that he landed awkwardly on his left arm while sliding.

    It was already unlikely he would throw another at-bat in the game, so we'll wait to see what the Dodgers share after the game. This could have been the biggest moment of this game.

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