Cubs beat Dodgers in Yamamoto-Imanaga matchup

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Cubs rallied for the tying and go-ahead runs in a five-run eighth inning, when the Los Angeles Dodgers committed three errors in a 6-3 loss to Chicago on Tuesday night that featured a matchup of Japanese star pitchers Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Shota Imanaga.
The NL West-leading Dodgers blew a 3-1 lead and lost to the Cubs for the second straight night, assuring their first series loss since Aug. 5-7 against visiting Philadelphia. Los Angeles’ division lead was cut to 4 1/2 games over second-place San Diego.
“We’ve played wonderful defense this series,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said.
Chicago is four games back of Atlanta and the New York Mets, who are tied for the last NL wild card.
Center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong robbed Max Muncy of a potential two-run homer with two outs in the ninth.
“Honestly, it feels like he has some like Velcro or something in his glove because he keeps making these great plays,” designated hitter Seiya Suzuki said through an interpreter.
Crow-Armstrong made a terrific sliding catch on the warning track of Kiké Hernández to end the seventh at the ballpark where he attended games as a youngster.
“I love it,” Crow-Armstrong said. “It feels better winning these last two and going home tomorrow with some good momentum.”
A leadoff walk by Alex Vesia, a throwing error by catcher Austin Barnes, center fielder Tommy Edman’s errant throw that went into the camera well near the Dodgers dugout and a fielding error by second baseman Hernández helped the Cubs take a 6-3 lead.
“It was a frustrating way to lose that game,” Muncy said. “We made a lot of mental mistakes. We got to eliminate that.”
Yamamoto struck out his first four batters of his first start in nearly three months, facing off against Chicago’s Imanaga (13-3) in a matchup of former Japanese big league rivals pitching against each other for the first time in Major League Baseball.
“They’ve traveled halfway around the world and they’re still competing against each other,” Counsell said before the game. “That’s pretty cool.”
Imanaga allowed three runs and seven hits in seven innings, struck out four and walked none.
“Today I pitched well because I was going against him,” Imanaga said through an interpreter. “I had a limit and I kind of went past that. It was a good day.”
Porter Hodge pitched the ninth for his fifth save. He stepped off the mound with two outs to go, complaining that his heart was racing. He has experienced the issue before and was cleared to pitch, Counsell said.
Evan Phillips (3-1) allowed two runs and four hits in the eighth.
Yamamoto gave up one run and three hits in four innings of his first start since June 16 following an injured list trip caused by a rotator cuff strain. He struck out eight and walked none.
“Today was pretty close to the best of the year,” Yamamoto said through an interpreter. “Today’s outing turned out much better than I expected.”
Before getting hurt, Yamamoto was off to an impressive start in the major leagues. He was 6-2 with a 2.92 ERA while striking out 84 over 74 innings. He earned his first MLB victory against the Cubs at Wrigley Field on April 6. Yamamoto signed a $325 million, 12-year contract with the Dodgers last offseason.
“It was good to see Yoshi back,” Muncy said. “His stuff looked really sharp, his velo was there, the execution was there, so it was good to see. We just got to get his pitch count built back up and it’s going to be really huge for us down the stretch.”
In front of 51,923, the game featured Imanaga and Suzuki against Yamamoto and Shohei Ohtani. They were teammates for Japan in the 2023 World Baseball Classic, winning the title over the U.S., although Suzuki was hurt and didn’t play.
Suzuki finished 3 for 5 witha run. Ohtani was hitless in four at-bats. He remains four homers and three stolen bases from becoming the first player in major league history to achieve a 50-50 season.
“Yamamoto was doing a really good job, difficult to face him,” Suzuki said through an interpreter.
Edman homered twice on two pitches from Imanaga for a 2-1 lead.
Edman hit his first homer of the season into the lower left field seats on a 92-mph fastball leading off the third, tying the game 1-1. The center fielder went deep again in the fourth, sending a go-ahead shot into the left field pavilion on a 93-mph fastball.
The Dodgers extended the lead to 3-1 on Muncy’s homer leading off the fifth.
Chicago led 1-0 on Crow-Armstrong’s infield single to first that hit Freddie Freeman and bounced into foul territory, scoring Isaac Paredes, who singled.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Dodgers: LHP Anthony Banda went on the IL with a left hand fracture, the result of punching a wall after his outing on Monday. … RHP Tyler Glasnow (tendonitis) used his entire pitch mix in a bullpen session. “He was ripping the fastball,” manager Dave Roberts said. Next up is facing hitters in a simulated game Friday in Atlanta. … OF Teoscar Hernández (bruised foot) was available off the bench and is expected back in the lineup Wednesday.
UP NEXT
Cubs: LHP Jordan Wicks (2-3, 4.03 ERA) is 1-1 since coming off the IL on Sept. 1.
Dodgers: RHP Bobby Miller (2-4, 7.79) tries to avoid a second straight loss.