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Yoshinobu Yamamoto stifles Phillies as Dodgers take the series

After suffering a deflating loss on Saturday, the Dodgers bounced back behind a dominant performance from Yoshinobu Yamamoto, taking the finale 9-1 and securing a series win over the Philadelphia Phillies.

The Phillies were the first to strike on Saturday with a home run from Alec Bohm in the second inning. The Dodgers were the first to strike on Sunday in the bottom of the second as Alex Freeland lined a two-out, RBI double to make it a 1-0 lead. Kyle Tucker brought the lead to two in the bottom of the third with a two-out RBI single to snap an 0-8 skid in the series.

Ryan Ward bounced back after striking out against Painter by crushing a hanging sweeper 108 miles per hour into the Phillies bullpen for his first major league home run, extending the Dodgers lead to three to begin the bottom of the fourth.

Alex Freeland followed up Ward with a home run of his own— his first since being recalled from Triple-A— to give him two RBI in as many at-bats, helping extend the lead to four and chase Painter out of the game.

The Dodgers early scoring spree was ample support for Yoshinobu Yamamoto, as he began his afternoon with a pair of strikeouts against Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper in the top of the first inning. Yamamoto was working on a no-hitter briefly until he allowed a bloop single from Trea Turner to begin the top of the fourth. The Phillies had two men on base in both the fourth and fifth innings, but Yamamoto managed to work around the traffic both times.

Yamamoto was not able to throw a quality start for the first time since allowing five earned runs against the San Francisco Giants on May 12, but he struck out a season-high 10 hitters while tossing his first scoreless outing all season and his first since his final regular season start last year against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Alex Call came in to pinch hit for Ward with the left-hander Tanner Banks on the mound in the bottom of the fifth inning, and he answered the call with a two-run single to give the Dodgers a six run lead. After Andy Pages reached on a bloop triple to shallow right field in the bottom of the sixth, every single Dodger in the starting lineup reached base at least once on Sunday. A sacrifice fly from Freddie Freeman extended the Dodger lead to seven.

Max Muncy joined in on the offensive barrage with a monster solo home run against Chase Shugart in the bottom of the seventh inning to make it an 8-0 lead. It was Muncy’s 14th home run on the year— reclaiming the team lead— and it was his 129th home run hit at Dodger Stadium, placing him just one home run behind Eric Karros for the most by a Dodger at home.

Freddie Freeman’s second sacrifice fly of the game to give the Dodgers their final run. They were three outs away from a shutout victory, but a home run from Bryson Stott against Jonathan Hernández put the Phillies on the board late.

It is the first time since May 2023 that the Dodgers have won a regular season series against the Philadelphia Phillies at home. With the San Diego Padres getting swept by the Washington Nationals, the Dodgers increase their division lead to 5 1/2 games.

Game particulars

Home runs— Ryan Ward (1), Alex Freeland (3), Max Muncy (14); Bryson Stott (6)
WP— Yoshinobu Yamamoto (5-4): 5 1/3 IP, 4 hits, 0 runs, 2 walks, 10 strikeouts
LP— Andrew Painter (1-6): 3 1/3 IP, 7 hits, 4 earned runs, 1 walk, 3 strikeouts

Up next

The Dodgers head out to Arizona to begin a four game set with the Diamondbacks on Monday (6:40 p.m. PT, SportsNet LA). Emmet Sheehan faces Eduardo Rodriguez.

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