The Los Angeles Dodgers are off to a fine start to their 2025 MLB season, as they found a way to beat the Chicago Cubs in the first game of the Tokyo Series at Tokyo Dome in Tokyo Tuesday night via a score of 4-1. The reigning World Series champions missed the services of two of their best players in outfielder Mookie Betts and first baseman Freddie Freeman, but the Dodgers still came throught with a victory.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto started for the Dodgers in a duel with Cubs star hurler Shota Imanaga. Yamamoto had trouble early in his mound duty, as he allowed an RBI double to Chicago catcher Miguel Amaya that allowed Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson to score the first run of the contest.
However, that was the only run scored by the Cubs, with Yamamoto putting together a solid body of work on the mound. He pitched for five innings, allowing just an earned run on three hits with a walk issued while striking out four Cubs batters along the way.
Imanaga, meanwhile, pitched for four scoreless frames and struck out two Dodgers while issuing a total of four free passes. Among those Imanaga retired in the Tokyo Series Opener was none other than the biggest star of them all, three-time Most Valuable Player award winner in the big leagues, Shohei Ohtani. Ohtani was the first batter in the contest but grounded out on the third pitch he faced in the first inning from Imanaga.
Ohtani disappointed anew in his next plate appearance, as he lined out to second off of an 81 MPH sweeper from Imanaga.
Shohei Ohtani provides spark for Dodgers run support behind Yoshinobu Yamamoto
But Ohtani finally did some damage in the fifth inning when he and the Dodgers pummeled Cubs reliever Ben Brown. After Los Angeles outfielder Andy Pages drew a walk, Ohtani recorded his first hit of the season with a single to right that advanced Pages to third base. Second baseman Tommy Edman followed that up with a single to left that drove Pages home and put Ohtani to third. Ohtani would later score, thanks to a throwing error by Chicago second baseman Jon Berti.
Brown got the better of Ohtani in the sixth inning when he struck out the four-time All-Star with three consecutive strikes to end the inning and strand two Dodgers hitters on base.
In the ninth inning, Cubs Ryan Brasier gave up a double to Ohtani, who scored moments later on a single to left by outfielder Teoscar Hernandez, giving the Dodgers their fourth — and final — run of the contest.
Overall, Ohtani went 2-for-5 with two runs and a strikeout for a productive 2025 season debut.
Yamamoto will take a rest for now after earning a win, while another Japanese star, Roki Sasaki will start for the Dodgers in the series finale this Wednesday. As for Ohtani, he and LA’s offense will face Cubs starter Justin Steele.
The post How Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto played in opener vs. Cubs appeared first on ClutchPoints.
