Dave Roberts downplayed the easy narrative on Sunday afternoon.
“No,” he said when asked if his Dodgers had the New York Yankees’ proverbial number, having followed up their defeat of the Bronx Bombers in last year’s World Series with two impressive wins to start this weekend’s rematch at Dodger Stadium.
“I think we’ve had their number the last two nights,” Roberts said, “but today’s a different day.”
Was it ever.
Twenty-four hours after a total annihilation of the Yankees in a 16-run rout on Saturday, the Dodgers suffered the kind of setback that has so often plagued them this season, squandering the chance to build momentum in a 7-3 loss that prevented a series sweep.