It took the Los Angeles Dodgers nine innings to defeat the Los Angeles Angels in the Freeway Series opener on Friday night, but it only took them one inning in the second game on Saturday.
The Dodgers are now 5-0 against the Angels this season and have a chance for both the series sweep and the season sweep on Sunday afternoon.
Dodgers 9, Angels 2: key takeaways
Dodgers offense explodes in 1st inning
The Dodgers did all their scoring in the first inning, and started with the first six hitters in the lineup reaching base via a hit.
Shohei Ohtani hit a leadoff single and Andy Pages followed by launching a two-run homer that put the Dodgers ahead. Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts and Max Muncy all singled to load the bases, and then Ryan Ward drove in two more runs with a double off the left-center field wall.
The first out in the inning was recorded on a strikeout by Alex Call, but Dalton Rushing followed with a walk. That chased Angels starting pitcher Jack Kochanowicz, who recorded just one out in his start.
Alex Freeland greeted Brent Suter by reaching on a fielder’s choice with an error by Zach Neto, who threw the ball into right field while trying to get an out at second base. That allowed the Dodgers to score two more runs while Freeland reached second.
The Dodgers capped off the inning with Ohtani launching a two-run homer, the second one the Dodgers hit in the inning. That gave them a 9-1 lead before the inning finally came to an end on a pair of groundouts.
The nine-run first inning is the most the Dodgers have scored in a single inning since their nine-run seventh against the Washington Nationals on July 2, 2021. It’s also the most they’ve scored in the first inning of a game since they put up 11 on the St. Louis Cardinals on June 2, 2021.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto turns in excellent outing
Yoshinobu Yamamoto once again dealt with some trouble in the first inning, but he then settled in and pitched a gem.
Yamamoto allowed a two-out single on a bunt, and then Oswald Pérez tripled on a line drive to center field, giving the Angels a 1-0 lead. Pages had a chance to make the play, but the ball hit off his glove, and the difficulty of the play meant it wasn’t ruled an error.
From there, Yamamoto retired the next 22 hitters he faced, getting the Dodgers through the eighth inning with no one else reaching base after that two-out triple in the first.
He finished his outing with a line score of eight innings pitched, giving up one run on two hits allowed with four strikeouts and no walks.
Jack Dreyer pitched the final inning of the game, allowing a home run to Zach Neto.
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