Yoshinobu Yamamoto threw five strong innings, Shohei Ohtani had two hits and scored twice, as the defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Chicago Cubs 4-1 on Tuesday in Major League Baseball's season opener at the Tokyo Dome.
Playing in their home country, Yamamoto and Cubs lefty Shota Imanaga both pitched well in the first all-Japanese starting pitching matchup on opening day in MLB history. Imanaga threw four scoreless innings, allowing no hits but walking four.
The Dodgers jumped on Cubs reliever Ben Brown (0-1) in the fifth, scoring three runs, partly because of a throwing error by second baseman Jon Berti. Tommy Edman and Will Smith had RBI singles.
Ohtani was part of the rally, delivering a hard-hit single through the right side. He finished 2 for 5 at the plate, including a double to lead off the ninth, eventually scoring another run.
Yamamoto (1-0) gave up one run on three hits and a walk, striking out four. Tanner Scott earned his first save.
Chicago's Miguel Amaya drove in Dansby Swanson with a two-out double that made it 1-0 in the second. The Cubs didn't have a hit after the third.
Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman was scratched before the game because of left rib discomfort. Shortstop Mookie Betts will miss both games in Japan because of an illness.
Ohtani's single was the first hit of the game for the Dodgers, helping start a rally that would turn the game in their favor.
Yamamoto, Anthony Banda, Ben Casparius and Blake Treinen combined to retire 16 batters in a row from the third to the eighth innings. The streak ended when Treinen hit Berti with a pitch with one out in the eighth.
Japanese rookie Roki Sasaki will make his MLB debut for the Dodgers while left-hander Justin Steele takes the mound for the Cubs on Wednesday night for the final game in Tokyo.
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4 Comments
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obladi
Almost as good as the Hanshin Tigers.
Japantime
This is why Japanese players are being recruited in all sports around the world from Basketball, Soccer, Baseball and Rugby. They are able to dominate in any position. Everywhere I go in Japan, I see them practicing all day. And they have the biggest crowds to support them as well.
Cephus
What a game! Really exciting.
TorafusuTorasan
The game was good, as were the next morning wide show segments about superfans, premium stadium cuisine, etc.
Odd though when some broadcasters go to extremes to broadcast content marginally related to the Tokyo Series. For example, NHK BS2 had a replay today of a Cubs vs. Reds game from 2020 in a silent, empty pandemic-era stadium. I am sure I saw the same game rebroadcast around this time last year. They must have sunk a lot of money into MLB rights to justify showing an old Bauer vs Darvish pitching duel year after year.