2024 Simulated World Series: Yankees pull even on Juan Soto's homer in Game 2

How will this year's World Series play out? Using the Dynasty League Baseball online simulation, USA TODAY Sports' Steve Gardner and DLB designer Mike Cieslinski will pre-play each game to provide some insight into the key matchups and strategy fans can expect to see in the Fall Classic.

Juan Soto's second home run of the game – a three-run blast in the top of the seventh inning – broke open a tense back-and-forth affair and lifted the New York Yankees to a 7-4 victory in Game 2 of USA TODAY Sports' annual Simulated World Series.

The victory evens the series at one game apiece as the two teams head to Yankee Stadium for Games 3, 4 and 5.

Hitters continue to slug away in this year's Sim Series with seven home runs accounting for nine of the 11 runs scored in Game 2. That, on top of six homers the two teams hit in the opener.

BOX SCORE:  Yankees 7, Dodgers 4

FULL PLAY-BY-PLAY:  Soto's tie-breaking homer pulls Yanks even in Game 2 win

World Series Game 2 simulation

The two teams played home run derby again at Dodger Stadium, with Soto and Jazz Chisholm giving the Yankees an early 2-1 lead, but Dodgers center fielder Andy Pages – starting the game with lefty Carlos Rodón on the mound after hitting .357/.396/.520 against left-handers in regular season – connected for a home run off reliever Tommy Kahnle in the bottom of the fifth to tie things up.

The game turned in the Yankees favor in the fateful seventh inning. With Dodgers starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto still on the mound, Anthony Volpe led off with a double to left center. That brought in left-hander Alex Vesia to face lefty hitters Austin Wells and Alex Verdugo. An ill-advised bunt by Wells led to Volpe being thrown out at third. Verdugo flied out, but leadoff man Gleyber Torres drew a walk to set the stage for Soto's two-out heroics.

L.A. got one back on Rojas' second solo homer of the game to make it 6-4, but defensive replacement Oswaldo Cabrera provided the Yanks with an insurance run on an RBI single in the ninth. Closer Luke Weaver got out of a two-on, no out jam by striking out Shohei Ohtani and retiring Mookie Betts on a liner to end the game and pick up the save.

What to watch in (the real) Game 2

Neutralizing Dodgers' lefty bats: One of the key factors in this series is the Yankees' approach to facing the Dodgers potent left-handed hitters. In Game 2, starter Carlos Rodón and a trio of relievers were able to neutralize Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman and Max Muncy – who went a combined 0-for-13 with 10 strikeouts.

Rodón pitched into the sixth inning and gave up just two runs before exiting with the lead. Rodón gives the Yankees their best matchup against those tough lefty swingers, even if he faces them a third time through the order.

Soto comes through in clutch: As we've witnessed many times in big moments, Juan Soto has a flair for the dramatic. His huge three-run homer in Sim Series Game 2 was eerily reminiscent of the three-run home run he hit off Cleveland's Hunter Gaddis in the ALCS clincher.

Dynasty League Baseball gives certain players who've done exceptionally well during the regular season with two outs and runners in scoring position a special "Clutch" rating that comes into play in those situations. Soto's home run off Vesia came as a result of his clutch rating, turning what would have been a lineout into a deep drive – and Soto's Grade A power made sure it cleared the fence.

Defensive upgrades: Many Yankee fans were upset when Oswaldo Cabrera was unable to come up with a ground ball in the bottom of the ninth inning in Game 1 that could have kept Freddie Freeman from coming to the plate and hitting his game-winning grand slam. However, Cabrera graded out as a much better defender this season than Gleyber Torres, whom he had just replaced. (In Dynasty League Baseball, Cabrera has a B defensive range at second base, compared to Torres' D.)

Cabrera made two nice plays in the ninth inning of this game -- one to rob Miguel Rojas of a hit deep in the hole and the other to nab Betts' liner to end the game.

Look for Yankees manager Aaron Boone to continue to sub Cabrera in for Torres late in games for defensive purposes, in spite of his misplay in Game 1.

How will the bullpens match up late? Sometimes the platoon advantages work, sometimes they don't. Pages (.213/.277/.370 vs. RHP) hit a homer off Kahnle to tie things up. And Soto hit his tie-breaking homer off lefty Vesia (.144/.238/.311 vs. LH batters).

If the game should come down to relievers facing opposite-hand hitters, keep these guys in mind:

• Dodgers RHP Michael Kopech vs. LH: .153/.270/.271

• Dodgers RHP Blake Treinen vs. LH: .218/.256/.423

• Dodgers LHP Alex Vesia vs. RH: .150/.274/.278

• Yankees RHP Jake Cousins vs. LH: .132/.313/.184

• Yankees RHP Tommy Kahnle vs. LH: .169/.274/.301

• Yankees RHP Luke Weaver vs. LH: .162/.253/.261

Previous 2024 Sim Series results

Game 1: Dodgers 13, Yankees 9

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Simulated World Series predictions: Soto lifts Yankees vs. Dodgers in Game 2