The Yankees beat Juan Soto good and bad in the opening game of the World Series

LOS ANGELES – Juan Soto celebrated his 26th birthday with a typically productive evening on the field and a shaky game on the field that contributed to a run.

Game 1 of the World Series showed the good and the bad of Soto.

He reached base twice and scored before Giancarlo Stanton's two-run home run in the sixth inning.

He also misplayed a drive by Kiké Hernandez into a triple that allowed the Dodgers to score the game's first run in the fifth inning.

The Dodgers' 6-3 win over 10 innings proved costly.

Soto's hitting attack in the sixth inning helped the Yankees take the lead.

Dodgers right-hander Jack Flaherty had no problems in the first five innings, allowing just three hits.

But early in the inning, Soto placed a 1-2 slider on the outside corner to left center field, just out of the reach of shortstop Tommy Edman.

After Aaron Judge struck out for the third time of the night, Stanton went deep and gave the Yankees the lead with his sixth home run of the postseason and 11th in 26 games at Dodger Stadium.

Soto was great in October while Judge struggled.

He entered the playoffs batting .333, with an OPS of 1.106 and three home runs.

One of those sent the Yankees to the World Series, a three-run blast in the 10th inning of their ALCS-clinching victory over the Guardians.

As a soon-to-be free agent, Soto was a great Yankee that year, helping them reach the Fall Classic for the first time in 15 years.

He set career highs in home runs (41), runs scored (128) and his OPS of .989 was his highest since 2021.

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But it won't mean anything if the Yankees can't get the job done in the next eight days or so, according to Soto.

He wants a second World Series crown.

“I still have a step to go,” Soto said before Game 1. “You can be the best player, you can do whatever you want.” But at the end of the day, people remember you when you have one Winning the World Series and what you did for this team.”