Yoshinobu Yamamoto delivered one of his most dominant performances of the season, striking out 10 over seven shutout innings to lead the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 3-0 victory over the Texas Rangers on Friday night at Globe Life Field. Tommy Edman, filling in as the leadoff hitter for Shohei Ohtani, provided early offense with a home run on the game’s second pitch as the Dodgers opened the three-game interleague series with a win.
The matchup featured two Major League Baseball’s most recent World Series champions and was expected to be a tightly contested opener. Most oddsmakers listed the Dodgers as slight favorites with moneyline odds around -120, while the Rangers were priced near even at home. The run total was projected at 8.5, but the game fell short thanks to both starters’ dominant pitching.
With Ohtani remaining in California on paternity leave following the birth of his first child, Edman stepped into the top spot in the batting order and made an immediate impact. He homered off Rangers starter Jacob deGrom to begin the game, marking his seventh home run. The home run was all the offense the Dodgers would need behind Yamamoto’s outstanding effort.
Yamamoto, making his sixth start since joining the Dodgers, scattered five hits over seven innings and did not issue a walk. The performance matched his career-high strikeouts and improved his record to 3-1. The 25-year-old right-hander efficiently worked through the Texas lineup, preventing significant scoring threats while showcasing sharp command.
Texas had one of its best chances to score in the third inning when the team put runners on second and third with two outs. Former Dodgers outfielder Joc Pederson, now struggling in his first season with the Rangers, grounded out to end the inning. Pederson extended his hitless streak to 36 consecutive at-bats and is batting just .057.
DeGrom, making his second start of the year after returning from injury, matched Yamamoto for most of the night. The two-time Cy Young Award winner allowed only three hits, walked one, and struck out seven over seven innings. After surrendering Edman’s leadoff homer, deGrom settled in and gave up just two more singles, one of which came from Edman in the sixth inning. That baserunner was erased moments later when Edman was caught stealing.
The Dodgers added insurance runs in the eighth and ninth innings, while relievers Kirby Yates and Tanner Scott closed out the victory. Yates, the Rangers’ closer last season, pitched a scoreless eighth, and Scott recorded his seventh save in eight opportunities despite allowing two singles in the ninth.
The Dodgers’ shutout was their second of the season, and the Rangers’ nine-game home winning streak snapped. It also marked just the second time Texas has been shut out in 2024. The Rangers had not lost at home since Opening Day against the Chicago Cubs on March 27.
The series continues Saturday with Dodgers rookie right-hander Roki Sasaki scheduled to make his fifth major league start. Sasaki enters the game with a 0-1 record and a 3.29 ERA. The Rangers will counter with veteran right-hander Nathan Eovaldi, who is 1-2 with a 2.55 ERA.
