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Yamamoto Dazzles as Dodgers Shut Out Cubs in Series Opener at Chavez Ravine
Alright, so picture this—Friday night lights at Dodger Stadium, and the energy is already electric as the Dodgers open their six-game homestand. Fans are back in full force, and the anticipation couldn’t be higher. After a rocky road trip, LA was hungry for redemption, and their timing couldn’t have been better: the Cubs were in town, looking for some payback after losing the opening series of the season to the Dodgers in Tokyo.
The spotlight was firmly on the mound, where two dominant starters took the stage. Yoshinobu Yamamoto got the ball for the Dodgers, and let me tell you—he did not disappoint. This guy was ice cold, just dealing from the start. He’s been a model of consistency all season, and Friday was no different. At least five innings of work again, barely giving the Cubs a whiff. He’s now only allowed three earned runs across all his starts so far. That's just clinical.
Opposite him, Matthew Boyd took the hill for the Cubs and came in with a sparkling stat line—no earned runs through his first two starts. And honestly, he was solid again, but not quite enough. Once the Dodgers bats got a sniff of opportunity, they pounced, and that’s all they needed. Tommy Edman, in particular, was clutch. He gave Yamamoto the run support needed, continuing his hot streak and showing why he's tied for second in the NL with five home runs.
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Freddie Freeman’s return also added a major boost to the lineup. Even though he’s only played three games so far this year, just having him in the dugout changes the whole vibe. The team looked sharper, more composed—like they knew their guy was back.
Let’s not forget the star power this Dodgers team is working with. Teoscar Hernández is on fire, racking up 16 RBIs, tied for the most in the National League. Then you’ve got Shohei Ohtani, Will Smith, and Mookie Betts—all ranked in the top 14 in OPS across the NL. It’s an offensive machine when they’re clicking, and now with Freeman back, things are only looking up.
On the Cubs side, sure, they’ve been scoring a lot—they lead the league in total runs—but that pitching staff has been shaky. Ranked 24th in ERA, they’ve been letting opponents hang around too much. Kyle Tucker and Seiya Suzuki are crushing it at the plate, no doubt. But if the Cubs want to steal games in this series, they’re going to need someone to shut the door.
Game one ended in a clean 3–0 win for the Dodgers, with Yamamoto completely owning the night. And with a couple more games left in the set, you know the Cubs will be itching to even things up. But LA just sent a big message: Dodger Stadium is still a fortress, and they’re not backing down.
It’s going to be a fun series—especially if you’re into pitching duels, power bats, and two franchises that have a little unfinished business. Buckle up.
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