Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto of Japan pitches against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the first inning of a baseball game on Wednesday, May 1, 2024, in Phoenix.
14:11 JST, May 2, 2024
PHOENIX (AP) — Yoshinobu Yamamoto pitched six scoreless innings, rookie Andy Pages hit a two-run homer as part of a five-run second inning, and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 8-0 Wednesday night.
Yamamoto (3-1) continues to pitch well in his first season in the big leagues after signing a 12-year, $325 million contract this offseason. The Japanese star struggled in his first outing on March 21 in South Korea, but has fared much better in his past six starts and now has a 2.91 ERA.
The righty gave up five hits and two walks, striking out five.
May 1, 2024; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto (18) pitches in the third inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field.
Pages worked a full count against Arizona’s Jordan Montgomery before hitting his 400-foot homer to deep left center for a 2-0 lead in the second. He is on an eight-game hitting streak and has 10 RBIs in 14 games.
Austin Barnes ripped an RBI double and Mookie Betts followed with a two-run single for a 5-0 lead. Will Smith hit a solo homer – his second of the series – to push the lead to 6-0 in the third.
Betts had three hits, while Miguel Rojas added two. The Dodgers have won eight of the past 10 and won two of the three games in the series.
Montgomery’s start was pushed back a day after the start of Tuesday’s game was delayed nearly two hours due to a bee infestation. The extra day of rest didn’t help the left-hander, who gave up six runs on six hits and three walks in three innings.
Montgomery (1-2) had one strikeout.
D-backs lefty Blake Walston gave up two runs in 3 2/3 innings of relief in his big league debut. He was a first-round selection by the franchise in the 2019 draft.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Dodgers: DH Shohei Ohtani had a regularly scheduled day off.
