Bronx, NY—Yoshinobu Yamamoto delivered one of the finest performances of his major league career, throwing a complete game to lead the Los Angeles Dodgers to an 8-2 victory over the New York Yankees on Sunday before 43,305 fans at Yankees Stadium.
With the Dodgers facing a split doubleheader later in the day, Yamamoto’s dominant outing not only secured the win but also provided valuable rest for a bullpen that was scheduled to handle the nightcap.
The right-hander was nearly untouchable from the outset, retiring 21 of the first 23 batters he faced. The Yankees managed little offense through the first seven innings, with Trent Grisham’s solo home run in the fourth accounting for New York’s first run. Ben Rice added a leadoff double in the seventh but was left stranded as Yamamoto continued to control the game.
The Yankees scratched across their second run in the eighth after a fly ball dropped in center field when the afternoon sun made it difficult for Andy Pages to track, but it did little to slow Yamamoto’s outstanding performance.
Yamamoto finished the afternoon allowing just four hits and two runs while striking out seven without issuing a walk. Needing only 102 pitches to complete all nine innings, he earned his 10th victory of the season and recorded the first regular-season complete game of his Dodgers career. The performance continued an impressive campaign in which he has consistently worked deep into games, leading the majors by averaging 6.65 innings per start.
While Yamamoto cruised, the Dodgers’ offense steadily built its advantage against Yankees starter Cam Schlittler, who entered the game with one of the American League’s best earned run averages.
Los Angeles broke through in the third inning when Shohei Ohtani lined an RBI double before Freddie Freeman followed with a run-scoring single to give the Dodgers an early cushion.
The Dodgers added another run in the fifth after Tommy Edman was hit by a pitch and later scored on an RBI double by Andy Pages, ending Schlittler’s afternoon after 4 1/3 innings. Although the Yankees right-hander struck out eight, the Dodgers forced him to throw 98 pitches, consistently extending at-bats and putting pressure on him throughout his outing.
Los Angeles put the game away in the eighth inning with a five-run explosion against the Yankees’ bullpen. Edman delivered the biggest blow with a two-run double as the Dodgers turned a close contest into a comfortable victory. Since returning from the injured list, Edman has been one of baseball’s hottest hitters, continuing his impressive stretch with another multi-hit performance.
The Yankees struggled to generate sustained offense all afternoon. Outside of Grisham’s solo homer and a handful of scattered hits, New York was unable to capitalize against Yamamoto, who kept hitters off balance with a mix of command, movement, and efficiency.
The victory highlighted another complete team effort by the Dodgers, who combined timely hitting with a masterful pitching performance to secure the 8-2 win. For the Yankees, the defeat served as a frustrating conclusion to the series as they now turn their attention toward regrouping for the next stretch of the regular season.
Game Notes:
Attendance: 43,305
Yankees Home Run:
- Trent Grisham (11)
Winning Pitcher: Yoshinobu Yamamoto (10-6) — 9.0 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 7 SO, 0 BB
Losing Pitcher: Cam Schlittler (9-6) — 4.1 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 8 SO
