(Los Angeles) Yoshinobu Yamamoto got the better of Yu Darvish in a historic duel of Japanese pitchers and the Los Angeles Dodgers eliminated the San Diego Padres with a 2-0 victory on Friday night.
Kike Hernandez and Teoscar Hernandez each hit a solo home run for the Dodgers, who face the New York Mets in the National League Championship Series starting Sunday.
“We’re ready for the next level, and obviously the Mets are playing great baseball,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.
Yamamoto allowed two hits in five innings before being pulled after throwing 63 pitches in a decisive Game 5 between the two California rivals.
Relievers Evan Phillips, Alex Vesia, Michael Kopech and Blake Treinen complemented Yamamoto’s strong outing by retiring all 12 batters they faced in order.
Treinen got his second save of the series.
“Every time you smell champagne, it means you’re doing something right,” said Mookie Betts.
The Dodgers won a decisive Game 5 at home for the first time since 1981, when they defeated the Houston Astros.
Holders of the best record in major league baseball in the regular season, the Dodgers (98-64) avoided elimination for the third year in a row in the sectional series.
“We had a lot of injuries, a lot of ups and a lot of downs. We fight and we continue, Betts said. All season, everyone says the Dodgers are going to win the World Series. And we get to this series, and all of a sudden we’re the underdogs. »
The Padres’ best hitters were held in check with their season on the line.
Luis Arraez, Fernando Tatis Jr., Jurickson Profar and Manny Machado had just one hit in 14 at-bats as the Padres’ final 19 batters were retired.
“I think it’s appropriate to say I’m stunned,” Padres manager Mike Shildt said.
The Padres were shut out in the final 24 innings of the series after taking a 2-1 lead against the Dodgers.
Yamamoto and Darvish were the first Japanese starting pitchers in history to face each other in the major league baseball postseason.
Darvish allowed three hits, including both home runs, in six and two-thirds innings of work.
“I thought Yu once again pitched very well. He unbalanced them. Two elk got the better of him. Other than that, he was really good,” Shildt analyzed.
The Dodgers will play in the National League Championship Series for the 16e time in their history and for the first time since 2021. They then lost in six games against the Atlanta Braves.