Dodger Score: Yamamoto Dominates as Dodgers Edge Mets in Pitching Duel
LOS ANGELES – While the New York Mets drew first blood, Yoshinobu Yamamoto took control for the majority of the game. Tuesday night’s contest at Dodger Stadium unfolded as a captivating pitching duel between Yamamoto and Mets starter Nolan McLean, ultimately resulting in a hard-fought 2-1 victory for the Dodgers.
The game remained tied at 1-1 until the bottom of the eighth inning when Kyle Tucker delivered a crucial RBI single. Left-handed reliever Alex Vesia then sealed the win with a dominant ninth inning, securing the save in the absence of closer Edwin Díaz, who was unavailable after a bullpen session earlier in the day. This marked one of the Dodgers’ most complete wins of the young season, clinching a series victory over the Mets.
Yamamoto Sets the Tone
The foundation of the Dodgers’ success was undoubtedly Yamamoto’s exceptional performance, delivering a season-high 7 2/3 innings of one-run ball. “Tonight, it was kind of vintage Yamamoto,” remarked manager Dave Roberts. “Just the command. The split, it was strike-to-ball. The breaking ball when he needed it. The misses were just near-misses. Yeah, this was special. And it’s kind of who he is right now.”
Yamamoto’s start wasn’t without an early challenge. Francisco Lindor launched a leadoff home run, ending a 20-inning scoreless streak for the Mets. However, Yamamoto quickly regained his composure and proceeded to retire 20 consecutive Mets batters, a streak that lasted until the seventh inning.
A notable defensive play in the fourth inning saw Freddie Freeman make a difficult throw to first base, requiring Yamamoto to make a leaping grab to secure the out. The streak finally ended with a two-out double by Bo Bichette in the seventh, followed by a walk to Francisco Alvarez. A mound visit from pitching coach Mark Prior seemed to reinvigorate Yamamoto, who finished the inning with a strikeout of Brett Baty on a devastating splitter.
The Splitter’s Impact
Yamamoto’s splitter proved to be a key weapon, generating a career-high-tying 23 whiffs. “It’s a pitch that with the way he throws his fastball, too, it’s just got so much bite to it,” explained Mets manager Carlos Mendoza. “It’s a hard one, and it looks like a fastball out of the hand and then it just drops.”
After two quick outs in the eighth, Yamamoto surrendered back-to-back singles, bringing runners to the corners. Blake Treinen then entered the game and stranded both runners with an ABS-confirmed strikeout of Luis Robert Jr.
Yamamoto finished his outing with 104 pitches, seven strikeouts, one walk, and four hits allowed, matching McLean’s impressive seven innings of one-run ball.
Learning from Wrobleski
Yamamoto credited Justin Wrobleski’s eight scoreless innings against the Mets the previous night for providing valuable insight into attacking the opposing lineup. “I think the Mets’ lineup was being really aggressive,” he said through interpreter Yoshihiro Sonoda.
Looking Ahead
With Yamamoto and Wrobleski leading the charge, Shohei Ohtani will have ample reference material as the Dodgers aim to complete the series sweep in Wednesday’s finale. Yamamoto’s impressive performance adds to his growing legacy, following a stellar 2023 season that saw him finish third in NL Cy Young Award voting and earn World Series MVP honors.
The Dodgers believe Yamamoto is among the best pitchers in baseball, alongside reigning Cy Young winners Paul Skenes and Tarik Skubal. While he may not yet have the awards to match, performances like Tuesday’s solidify his position in the conversation. “We don’t have to look any further than October to see what he’s done,” Roberts stated. “The huge velocity of Skubal and Skenes and what they’ve done, and rightfully so. But our guy has done it in the biggest of moments, so he should certainly be in that conversation.”
