Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto throws at an Arizona Diamondbacks batter during the fifth inning of a baseball game Monday, May 20, 2024, in Los Angeles.
14:13 JST, May 21, 2024
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Freddie Freeman’s grand slam sparked a six-run third inning, Yoshinobu Yamamoto got off to a strong start and the Los Angeles Dodgers extended their winning streak to four with a 6-4 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Monday evening.
Freeman’s shot to Slade Cecconi (1-4) was part of an offense that saw the first six Dodgers get on board and score in the third.
Kiké Hernández and Will Smith also went deep in the inning as Los Angeles improved to 33-17. It is the ninth time in franchise history that the Dodgers have at least 33 wins after 50 games.
Arizona’s Ketel Marte extended his hitting streak to 19 games with a single in the first inning. It is the longest streak in the Majors this season and ranks fifth in franchise history.
Kyle Newman added three hits, his fifth multi-hit effort in the last nine games. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Jake McCarthy homered, but the Diamondbacks have dropped four of six.
Yamamoto (5-1) gave up two runs on seven hits and struck out eight in 6 1/3 innings. He threw 100 pitches on the season, including 69 strikes.
Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto, center, throws to an Arizona Diamondbacks batter during the first inning of a baseball game Monday, May 20, 2024, in Los Angeles.
Daniel Hudson retired the side in the ninth for his third save in five chances.
It was the sixth grand slam of Freeman’s career and his third since the start of last season. He is one of seven three-way players over the past two seasons.
The Dodgers are the only team in the majors to have two players with at least three grand slams as of early 2023. Max Muncy leads the team with four.
It didn’t take long for the Dodgers to respond after the Diamondbacks opened the scoring on Joc Pederson’s RBI single to center.
Hernández opened the inning with a drive to center, making it 1-all. Miguel Rojas and Mookie Betts followed with singles, before Shohei Ohtani walked to load the bases.
May 20, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) singles on a bunt in the first inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium. Obliged
Freeman then took Cecconi’s fastball low in the strike zone and placed it over the wall in right-center for his fifth home run of the year. It was also the third grand slam this season for the Dodgers.
Five pitches later, Smith added a solo shot to left-center, marking the second time this season the Dodgers had back-to-back home runs.
Yamamoto’s night ended when Newman’s RBI drive hit up the middle to put Arizona up 6-2.
Gurriel Jr.’s solo shots and McCarthy in the eighth marked the second time the Diamondbacks hit back-to-back home runs this season.
