Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto (left) and pitcher Roki Sasaki (center right) stand on the field before the game against the Hanshin Tigers at Tokyo Dome. / Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
The Los Angeles Dodgers opened 2025 the same way they closed out 2024, leaving no doubts about who deserved to win.
The reigning World Series champions faced off against the Chicago Cubs in game one of the Tokyo Series on Tuesday, ultimately emerging with a 4-1 victory. Yoshinobu Yamamoto got credit for the win, tossing 5.0 innings of one-run ball back in his home country.
Yamamoto wasn’t perfect from the jump, though, as he gave up a walk in the first inning, then a single, double and run in the second. The Cubs led off the bottom of the third with another single, improving to 3-for-9 on the night.
That’s when Yamamoto shifted into another gear, flying through the next three frames without hesitation. He retired the next nine batters he faced, all via either strikeout or groundout, to get through the fifth without any additional damage done.
Los Angeles had four relievers – Anthony Banda, Ben Casparius, Blake Treinen and Tanner Scott – come in and throw scoreless, hitless innings as well. Besides the batter that Treinen plunked in the bottom of the eighth, no other Cubs players go on board for the rest of the contest.
Between the third and eighth innings, Dodgers pitchers retired 16 batters in a row. According to MLB.com’s Sarah Langs, they are the first reigning World Series champions to retire 15-plus consecutive batters on Opening Day since the 1979 New York Yankees.
the Dodgers retired 16 straight batters at one point todaythey’re the first reigning WS champs to retire 15+ straight on Opening Day since the 1979 Yankees (also 16)
h/t @EliasSports
— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) March 18, 2025
The Dodgers and Cubs will close out the Tokyo Series on Wednesday, with first pitch scheduled for 6:10 a.m. ET. Japanese rookie Roki Sasaki will take the mound for Los Angeles, while Justin Steele will get the nod for Chicago.
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