Dodgers 2, D-backs 1: Scratching and clawing (and getting lucky) to end a 7-game skid in extras

Chad Moriyama 08/08/2026 Game Recaps Leave A Comment

If you had to pick a starter who would end the losing streak, Yoshinobu Yamamoto would be as good a pick as any. And while he did do that, it wasn’t as uncomplicated as it seems. He labored through 17 outs of shutout ball, then the pen did a highwire act the rest of the way. Offensively, they looked terrible again, but it was the suddenly hot Kyle Tucker that gave them the one run they needed … until Edwin Diaz blew it for a second straight game. The Dodgers got a run behind Shohei Ohtani in extras and then Jack Dreyer slammed the door to secure a 2-1 win over the Diamondbacks.

Same losing streak as last year. Went well in the end, I guess.

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Looking to end their losing streak, they sent Yoshinobu Yamamoto to the mound, and while he didn’t look as sharp as he can be, he certainly did what an ace does: battle.

After two outs in the 1st, he worked around an infield single and a walk, and cruised through the 2nd. Tommy Edman saved him a baserunner and trouble in the 3rd with a nice play, and a walk followed that Yamamoto got past.

He came right back with a clean 4th that included at least one nasty split.

The 5th was when things really could’ve gone sideways. After a lead-off single, a liner into the gap was tracked down by Teoscar Hernandez to save a double, probably a run, and maybe the game. Yamamoto then hit the next batter to put a pair on, but rebounded with back-to-back strikeouts to slam the door shut.

Trouble came quickly again in the 6th, as a lead-off single was followed by a walk to put a pair on, but Yamamoto got luck with a lineout and then induced a flyout. At 107 pitches, Dave Roberts turned to Evan Phillips, who got a flyout to end that threat.

Labored a bit, but it’s what they needed: 5.2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 6 K, 107 Pitches.

Following him in the 7th was Alex Vesia, who continued to struggle with his command. He issued a lead-off walk, got a flyout, and then issued another walk to put a pair on. He then fell behind 2-0 to Corbin Carroll, but got bailed out by a foul pop and then won a 10-pitch battle against Gabriel Moreno with a strikeout to keep the shutout going.

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Of course, that was important since nothing was happening on the other side.

Since being recalled Brandon Pfaadt has been a different pitcher and he showcased that today to keep the Dodgers struggling. He actually faced the minimum through six, as a one-out walk in the 1st was erased by a double play and a one-out infield single in the 4th was erased on a hit-and-run lineout.

That was all they had to that point.

He ran into his first real trouble in the 7th, as he gave up another infield single (to Andy Pages again) with one out, and with two outs Pages stole second to actually setup a scoring chance. However, after Max Muncy walked, Mookie Betts grounded out to kill off that rally.

Mercifully, that was it from Pfaadt, and for the 8th it was Jonathan Loaisiga, who took all of two pitches to ruin their shutout by giving up Kyle Tucker’s 11th homer of the year to make it 1-0 Dodgers.

Later in the inning, the Dodgers tried to rally with one-out singles from both Teoscar Hernandez and Hunter Feduccia, but Shohei Ohtani and Andy Pages struck out to end that hope.

In the 9th, Gerardo Carrillo only issued a two-out walk, so the lead was one.

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The pen then was asked to protect another one-run lead, starting with Kyle Hurt in the 8th. He got two quick outs, but then gave up a single and walked two hitters to continue the pen’s woes. With the bags packed, Dave went to Tanner Scott, who got a soft flyout to end that nightmare.

Well, to close things out, it was Edwin Diaz yet again in the 9th. Dave said he was sticking with him and he did, the Diaz rewarded him by giving up back-to-back triples to Geraldo Perdomo and Carroll to tie things at 1-1.

By some miracle, he then got a lineout, infield pop, and strikeout to keep things tied. I dunno, man.

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Bonus baseball!

Carrillo continued for the D-backs in the 10th, and he got two depressing flyball outs to not move the runner. However, they caught a break, as Hunter Feduccia drew a walk on a wild pitch to corner things. Brandyn Garcia then entered for Shohei, who got down 1-2 but then pulled a ball off a diving Tim Tawa for an infield single and a 2-1 lead.

That left things up to Jack Dreyer in the 10th, who got a strikeout, then allowed a weird infield single where Mookie Betts didn’t go after a grounder on his side of the bag.

No matter, Jack did it himself on a comebacker for a 1-4-3 double play to win it.

Streak over.

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NL SeedingRecordGB
Brewers73-44–
Braves70-473.0
Dodgers70-473.0

The series and road trip concludes in an early game tomorrow at 10:10 AM HT/1:10 PM PT/4:10 PM ET. It’ll be Justin Wrobleski looking to not be a dinger machine up against Eduardo Rodriguez.

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