Yoshinobu Yamamoto rebounded from a leadoff home run to retire 20 consecutive batters and the Los Angeles Dodgers got the best of a pitchers’ duel to finish off a 2-1 victory over the visiting New York Mets on Tuesday.
Kyle Tucker delivered a go-ahead bloop single in the eighth inning as the Dodgers won for the ninth time in their past 11 games. Freddie Freeman added an RBI as the Dodgers won their fifth series in six tries this season. The Mets saw their losing streak reach seven games.
Yamamoto gave up one run on four hits over 7 2/3 innings with one walk and seven strikeouts. Blake Treinen (1-0) struck out the lone batter he faced, Luis Robert Jr., in the eighth with two runners in scoring position. Alex Vesia struck out the side in the ninth for his second save.
Mets starter Nolan McLean gave up one run on two hits over seven innings with two walks and eight strikeouts. Francisco Lindor hit a leadoff home run to snap New York’s 20-inning scoreless streak.
The blast to right field on Yamamoto’s third pitch of the game not only gave Lindor his first home run of the season, it also produced his first RBI.
The Dodgers cobbled together a rally in their half of the first inning to tie the game. Tucker walked with one out, Will Smith doubled to left, and Freeman grounded out to first base to score Tucker.
After Lindor’s early home run, Yamamoto retired the Mets in order into the seventh inning, with the run ending on a two-out double from Bo Bichette. Francisco Alvarez then walked, but Yamamoto struck out Brett Baty to end the threat.
After Smith’s double in the first inning, McLean retired 13 consecutive Dodgers batters and did not allow another hit until Max Muncy singled in the seventh.
The Dodgers got a leadoff walk in the eighth inning from pinch hitter Miguel Rojas against left-hander Brooks Raley (0-1), and pinch hitter Santiago Espinal followed with a sacrifice bunt. After Shohei Ohtani was walked intentionally, Tucker blooped an RBI single down the left field line for a 2-1 lead.
With the walk, Ohtani extended his on-base streak to 48 games, moving him alone into second place in club history since the Dodgers’ arrival in Los Angeles.
