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| LA Dodgers Shohei Ohtani scores after hitting a hit in the fifth inning against the Chicago Cubs at Tokyo Dome on the 18th. EPA Yonhap News |
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| LA Dodgers Shohei Ohtani hits a right-handed hit in the fifth inning against the Chicago Cubs at Tokyo Dome on the 18th. AFP Yonhap News |
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| LA Dodgers starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto is throwing the ball vigorously. AP Yonhap News |
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The Los Angeles Dodgers won the historic opening game of Japan.
The Dodgers won the opening game of the 2025 regular season against the Chicago Cubs at Tokyo Dome, the heart of Japanese baseball, 4-1 on the 18th, thanks to starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto's good pitching and the concentration of the batters.
Last year, NL unanimous MVP Shohei Ohtani added two hits and two runs to help win, and Tommy Edman, a Korean-born fielder who also participated in the WBC national team, hit an equalizer.
Yamamoto became the winning pitcher by allowing three hits and one walk in five innings and blocking one run. Yamamoto, who threw 72 pitches, struck out four, and his fastball velocity of 29 pitches reached a maximum of 98.1 miles and an average of 96.8 miles. Last year's average fastball speed was 1.3 miles faster than last year's 95.5 miles. In other words, he threw with all his might. He won the opening match for the first time in a year after losing five runs in the first inning of last year's Seoul Series opener.
The splitter, who also used 29 pitches, effectively overpowered Cubs batters by inducing 47% (9 out of 19) of swings and misses.
On the other hand, Cubs starter Shota Imanaga gave up four hitless walks and threw well with two strikeouts in four innings, but he threw 69 pitches and was replaced.
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| Yamamoto pitches in the bottom of the first inning. AP Yonhap News |
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| Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Shota Imanaga. AFP Yonhap News |
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The first run was taken by the Cubs. After one out in the bottom of the second inning, Dansby Swanson got on base with a heavy hit and advanced to second base when Pete Crowe-Armstrong grounded out to second base to create a scoring position. Miguel Amaya then hit a double that cut right-center to bring Swanson home.
However, Dodgers hitters exploded as if they had promised after Cubs starter Imana went down.
In the top of the fifth inning, Cubs pitcher changed from Imanaga to right-hander Ben Brown, and Andy Pazs walked one after another to open the door. The next batter, Ohtani, hit a right-handed hit to connect the chance to the first and third bases. Ohtani pulled a high knuckle curveball 85.6 miles outside of Brown's third and fourth pitches, sending a 107.4 mile line-drive hit to right field. Ohtani's first hit of the season.
The Dodgers then tied the score at 1-1 with Tommy Edman calling in Pazs with a hit in left-center. Then, when Teoscar Hernandez grounded out to third base, first baseman Edman was out at second base, but Ohtani rushed home and turned the tide. Will Smith hit a left-handed hit to run 3-1 with two outs and a runner on second base.
The Dodgers scored a decisive run based on Ohtani's double in the ninth inning when the two-run lead continued. Ohtani pulled a slider that fell low toward his body 85 miles on the fifth pitch on the ball count 2B2S against right-hander Ryan Brazier, leading to a double that fell on the right-field line. The batting speed reached a whopping 107.8 miles. It was the fastest hit by hitters from both teams on the day.
Ohtani then advanced to third base when Edman grounded out to second base and then homered with Hernandez's left-handed hit to widen the gap to 4-1.
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| Otani gets on base with a right-handed hit in the fifth inning and settles on second base when Tommy Edman hits left-handed. AFP Yonhap News |
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| Dodgers manager Dave Roberts and Cubs manager Craig Counsell listen to center Bill Miller at a pregame event. REUTERS Yonhap News |
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The Dodgers started the bullpen in the sixth inning with a 3-1 lead, tying the Cubs' lineup to scoreless. As Anthony Banda (one inning with no hits, two strikeouts), Ben Caspariers (one inning with no hits, one strikeout) and Blake Trinen (one inning with no hits, two strikeouts) continued the no-hit parade, closer Tanner Scott took the mound in the ninth inning and lightly cooked three batters and earned the save in one inning.
Game 2 of the Tokyo Series will be held at 7:10 p.m. on the 19th at the same place, with the Dodgers starting with Rocky Sasaki and the Cubs starting with Justin Steel.
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| Otani and Teoscar Hernandez smile broadly in the eighth inning. AP Yonhap News |
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This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
