Yoshinobu Yamamoto led the game with a lengthy outing and strikeouts in his first postseason start.
The LA Dodgers won Game 3 on the road to take the series lead, while Yamamoto limited a fifth-inning threat to one run.
One strong performance did not clinch the Dodgers’ advancement to the next round, but the momentum of the best-of-5 series clearly shifted.
3-Line Summary
1. Yamamoto recorded 7 innings, 1 run allowed, and 10K
2. The Dodgers defeated Atlanta 3-1
3. The series stands at 2-1, with 1 more win needed
98 Pitches in Atlanta on October 7
LA Dodgers Japanese right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto started Game 3 of the National League Division Series (NLDS) against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, on the 7th in Korean time. The Dodgers won 3-1.
Yamamoto recorded 4 hits allowed, 1 walk, 10 strikeouts, and 1 run allowed over 7 innings. He threw 98 pitches. Although the Dodgers’ lineup failed to capitalize on several scoring opportunities early in the game, the starting pitcher’s ability to go deep kept the game’s balance from wavering.
The Dodgers took the lead on Kiké Hernández’s two-run home run in the 4th inning and extended it to 3-0 with Freddie Freeman’s solo home run. Atlanta pulled within 1 run in the 5th inning on a groundout RBI with one out and the bases loaded. Yamamoto then escaped a two-out, runners-on-second-and-third threat without allowing another run. That moment was more important than the strikeout total alone. The Dodgers maintained control by getting through a situation in which the game could have been tied at once.
Strikeouts Produced by the Fastball and Splitter
According to pitching information reported by Naver Premium Content, Yamamoto’s four-seam fastball averaged approximately 155 km/h, or 96.6 miles per hour. His top velocity was 97.9 miles per hour. He threw 28 splitters, and 6 of the batters’ 10 swings resulted in misses.
He also recorded 9 swings and 5 misses on 15 curveballs. Rather than relying solely on his fastball, he disrupted hitters’ timing by mixing in a splitter that dropped downward and a slower curve. The 10 strikeouts can be viewed as the result of this pitch combination working in the game.
Ha-Seong Kim started as Atlanta’s No. 9 hitter and shortstop and faced Yamamoto once that day. In his first at-bat in the bottom of the 3rd inning, he hit Yamamoto’s first-pitch four-seam fastball but flew out to left field. Kim was replaced by a pinch-hitter in the bottom of the 5th inning and finished 0-for-1.
What 2-1 Means for the Next Game
This game was Game 3 of the NLDS, which is played as a best-of-5 series. With the win, the Dodgers moved to a 2-1 series record and came within 1 win of advancing to the Championship Series. However, advancement has not yet been clinched, and the Dodgers must win once more in the remaining games.
Yamamoto’s performance extends beyond his record as the winning pitcher. He took responsibility through the 7th inning, allowing the bullpen to cover the 8th and 9th innings separately, and the Dodgers brought in Tanner Scott and Edwin Díaz in succession to close out the game. In the postseason, how few threats a starter leaves behind when departing can change the roles of the pitchers who follow. In this Game 3, the Dodgers gained 1 win along with more options for the next game.
References
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