Cubs 6-3 Dodgers (September 10, 2024) Match Report

LOS ANGELES – — The Cubs tied the game and took the lead with five runs in the eighth inning after the Los Angeles Dodgers committed three errors in their 6-3 loss to Chicago on Tuesday night that featured star Japanese pitchers Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Shota Imanaga.

The NL West-leading Dodgers blew a 3-1 series lead and lost to the Cubs for the second straight game, dropping their first series since Aug. 5-7 against Philadelphia and cutting Los Angeles' division lead over second-place San Diego to 4 1/2 games.

“We played wonderful defense in this series,” said Cubs manager Craig Counsell.

Chicago is four games behind Atlanta and the New York Mets, who share the last NL wild card.

Centerfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong prevented a possible two-run homer by Max Muncy with two outs in the ninth inning.

“Honestly, it feels like he has some kind of 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 magnificent sliding catch on Kiké Hernández's warning track to end the seventh inning at the baseball stadium where he had attended games as a youth.

“I love it,” Crow-Armstrong said. “It feels even better to win these last two and go home with a good momentum tomorrow.”

A leadoff walk by Alex Vesia, a throwing error by catcher Austin Barnes, a missed throw by center fielder Tommy Edman that flew well into the camera near the Dodgers dugout and a fielding error by second baseman Hernández helped the Cubs to a 6-3 lead.

“It was frustrating to lose that game,” Muncy said. “We made a lot of mental mistakes. We have to avoid that.”

Yamamoto struck out his first four batters in his first start in nearly three months, facing Chicago's Imanaga (13-3) in a meeting of former Japanese Major League Baseball rivals pitching against each other for the first time.

“They've traveled halfway around the world and they're still competing with each other,” Counsell said before the game. “It's pretty cool.”

Imanaga allowed three runs and seven hits in seven innings, striking out four times and allowing no walks.

“Today I pitched well because I was competing against him,” Imanaga said through an interpreter. “I had a limit and I kind of went over it. It was a good day.”

Porter Hodge pitched the ninth, earning his fifth save. He left the mound with two outs left, complaining of heart palpitations. He had experienced this problem before and was now allowed to pitch, Counsell said.

Evan Phillips (3-1) allowed two runs and four hits in the eighth inning.

Yamamoto allowed one run and three hits in four innings in his first start since June 16 after a stint on the injured list due to a rotator cuff strain. He struck out eight times and allowed no walks.

“Today was almost the best day of the year,” Yamamoto said through an interpreter. “Today's trip went much better than I expected.”

Before he was injured, Yamamoto was off to an impressive start in the major leagues. He was 6-2 with a 2.92 ERA, striking out 84 in 74 innings. His first MLB win came on April 6 against the Cubs at Wrigley Field. Yamamoto signed a 12-year, $325 million contract with the Dodgers last offseason.

“It was nice to see Yoshi back,” Muncy said. “His stuff looked really good, his pace was there, the execution was there, so it was nice to see. We just need to get his pitch count back up and that's going to be really big for us down the stretch.”

In front of a crowd of 51,923, Imanaga and Suzuki faced Yamamoto and Shohei Ohtani, teammates for Japan in the 2023 World Baseball Classic and won the title against the United States, despite Suzuki being injured and not playing.

Suzuki finished the game 3-for-5 with one run. Ohtani went hitless in four at-bats. He is four home runs and three stolen bases away from becoming the first player in major league history to achieve a 50-50 season.

“Yamamoto did a really good job, it was difficult to compete against him,” Suzuki said through an interpreter.

Edman hit two home runs after two pitches from Imanaga and took a 2-1 lead.

Edman hit his first home run of the season with a 92-mph fastball into the lower left field seats in the third inning, tying the game at 1-1. The center fielder hit another home run in the fourth inning, sending a game-winning hit into the left field pavilions with a 93-mph fastball.

The Dodgers extended their lead to 3-1 when Muncy hit a home run in the fifth inning.

Chicago led 1-0 on Crow-Armstrong's infield single to first base that scored Freddie Freeman and bounced into foul territory, scoring Isaac Paredes, who hit a single.

TRAINING ROOM

Dodgers: LHP Anthony Banda was placed on the injured list with a fractured left hand after hitting a wall following his appearance Monday. … RHP Tyler Glasnow (tendonitis) used his full pitch mix in a bullpen session. “He was tearing up the fastball,” manager Dave Roberts said. Next up is a simulated game against hitters on Friday in Atlanta. … OF Teoscar Hernández (bruised foot) was available as a reliever and is expected back in the lineup Wednesday.

Next

Cubs: LHP Jordan Wicks (2-3, 4.03 ERA) is 1-1 since being activated from the injured list on Sept. 1.

Dodgers: RHP Bobby Miller (2-4, 7.79) tries to avoid a second consecutive loss.

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