Yamamoto silences Toronto with gem as Dodgers beat Blue Jays 4-1

The Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 4-1 on Tuesday night, extending their winning streak to five games behind a dominant start from Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who allowed just one run over 6.1 innings.

Yamamoto, who was met with boos from the home crowd at Rogers Centre, responded with his third consecutive quality start this season, striking out six while scattering five hits and one walk. He limited Toronto’s potent lineup to just one run and helped the Dodgers maintain a 13-4 record on the season.

The game marked Yamamoto’s first return to the stadium where he was named World Series MVP last fall. He didn’t let the memories distract him, retiring the first nine batters he faced and striking out the side in the first inning. George Springer, Daulton Varsho, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. all went down in order on 11 pitches.

Yamamoto’s control wavered slightly in the second inning when he allowed a double to Jesús Sánchez, but he settled in and retired the next 12 batters in a row. That streak ended in the sixth when Andrés Giménez led off with a single and Springer followed with an RBI double to bring Toronto within one.

The Blue Jays’ best chance came with runners on first and second, but Yamamoto induced groundouts from Guerrero and Sánchez to escape the inning unscathed. He was pulled in the seventh with runners on the corners, and Alex Vesia came on to load the bases but kept the game scoreless in the frame.

Kevin Gausman, who faced Yamamoto in Games 2 and 6 of the 2024 World Series, struggled with his command in the early innings. He allowed three runs on six hits and three walks over five innings, falling to 3-2 on the season.

The Dodgers’ offense provided just enough support, with Shohei Ohtani driving in two runs and continuing his early-season dominance. The win keeps the Dodgers three games ahead of the San Diego Padres in the NL West and maintains their position as the top team in the majors with a 13-4 record.

“Yam is the man,” Vesia said. “That was a great win all in all. I’m proud of how we handled that inning.”

With the series heading to Los Angeles, the Blue Jays will look to avoid a three-game sweep as they continue their search for consistency at 8-9 through the first 17 games. The Dodgers, meanwhile, remain in full control of the NL West and are well on their way to what could be a historic three-peat.