ARLINGTON, Texas — In a noteworthy matchup, Yoshinobu Yamamoto delivered an impressive performance with 10 strikeouts across seven innings, helping the Los Angeles Dodgers secure a 3-0 victory over the Texas Rangers on Friday night. This contest came without the presence of Dodger superstar Shohei Ohtani, who stayed in California to be with his wife for the birth of their first child, leading to his placement on MLB’s paternity list.
Tommy Edman seized the opportunity to lead the game off, stepping into Ohtani’s usual leadoff spot. He promptly launched a home run off the second pitch delivered by Jacob deGrom, the two-time Cy Young Award recipient now with a 0-1 record. This home run marked Edman’s seventh of the season.
Yamamoto, improving to a 3-1 record, showcased his dominance by restricting Texas to just five hits while issuing no walks in this opening game of a three-game series, spotlighting the recent World Series champions.
As for deGrom, his performance included seven strikeouts and one walk across seven innings. He allowed merely two singles following Edman’s initial home run, including another to Edman at the start of the sixth inning, which was curtailed by a caught stealing effort.
Contributing to the Dodgers’ successful shutout, former Texas closer Kirby Yates, alongside Tanner Scott, effectively managed an inning each. Scott closed the game to earn his seventh save out of eight opportunities, despite permitting two singles.
A crucial moment unfolded in the third inning when, with Texas positioned for scoring with runners on second and third, Joc Pederson ended the inning with a groundout. Pederson, who was part of the Dodgers’ 2020 World Series-winning team, continues to struggle at the plate, being hitless in his last 36 at-bats and maintaining a .057 average in his initial season with Texas.
For the Rangers, this was only the second shutout they endured this season. The defeat also terminated their nine-game home winning streak, which spanned back to their season opener against the Chicago Cubs on March 27.
Looking ahead, the Dodgers will start rookie right-hander Roki Sasaki (0-1, 3.29 ERA) in the series’ second game on Saturday. The Rangers are set to field Nathan Eovaldi (1-2, 2.55 ERA) as their starter.