LOS ANGELES — Domingo German’s first 11 pitches on Sunday were strikes.
It was a good sign of things to come in one of his best starts of the season.
The German converted 6 ½ ⁄ innings off a one-run ball to help the Yankees to a 4-1 victory over the Dodgers in the Chavez Ravine rubber game series.
“Very satisfactory,” the German said through a translator. “Tonight with the exits, we wanted to be aggressive, execute and dominate all the courts that this lineup faces. I felt that during the match, we were able to do that. We managed to stay mentally locked in the game. That allowed me to carry out performances.”
The German hit four batters and one pass while striking out six.
The only blemish was an 0-2 curveball against J.D. Martinez with two outs in the seventh inning.
It hit a lot of the plate and Martinez hit it with a solo home run that tied the game.
Otherwise, the German would lead all night, attacking the strike zone and pitching first pitches to 20 of 25 batters.
“This is what it looks like,” said manager Aaron Boone. “That’s a big deal right there and that’s what you have to have when you hit a lineup like the Dodgers.
“His change-up and curve gain were great, but he did a good job staying unpredictable.”
The German wasn’t his best in his first start from a 10-match suspension for a botched foreign material on Monday in Seattle, but he looked more commanding on Sunday.
“It was my priority to hit one and expand whenever I needed to,” German said.
Carlos Rodon is set to face live hitters Wednesday for the first time since early April, progressing to the next step in his rehabilitation from a forearm muscle strain and back discomfort. The left-hander will likely need a few live sessions, which will come in a five-day routine, before he’s ready to head out on a rehab stint.
If Rodon continues to progress as planned, he could be looking forward to returning in July to the Yankees’ rotation.
Ryan Weber (forearm strain) will meet with team physician Dr. Chris Ahmed for a “hands-on” evaluation after he underwent an MRI on Saturday.
Boone was asked if he had spoken to the Dodgers or MLB about the concrete ledge at the bottom of the right field wall at Dodger Stadium, the one that Aaron Judge hit with his right foot when it hit it Saturday after he made a terrific catch.
“I hope that’s the thing they’re looking at,” Boone said. “I think all of these places are trying their best to make things as safe as possible. But to me, it looks like this cement on the bottom could be cushioning a bit. I hope this is at least something they look into and think about, and I’m sure they will. “
