Yoshinobu Yamamoto loses perfect game after Mookie Betts error, then no-hitter in the ninth as Dodgers fall short
Yoshinobu Yamamoto came within one inning of a no-hitter and within an inning-plus of a perfect game before the Chicago White Sox ended both bids in the Dodgers’ 7-1 win on Saturday in Chicago. The right-hander had retired 45 consecutive batters dating back to his previous start before an error by Mookie Betts in the eighth inning broke the perfect-game attempt. Shortstop Chase Meidroth’s ground ball was mishandled, and the play prevented Yamamoto from continuing his chase of a historic outing.
Yamamoto recovered to finish the eighth inning, but his no-hit bid ended two pitches into the ninth when White Sox center fielder Tristan Peters hit a home run to right field. The Dodgers kept Yamamoto on the mound for one more out before pulling him after 105 pitches. He received a standing ovation from the crowd as he left the game, having allowed only the homer and one runner who reached on an error. Alex Vesia closed out the final two outs.
The outing extended Yamamoto’s reputation for near-history in Major League Baseball. It was the second straight season in which he lost a no-hitter in the ninth inning. Last year, he was one out away from a no-hit performance against the Baltimore Orioles before giving up a home run to Jackson Holliday. Unlike that game, however, the Dodgers did not collapse after Yamamoto’s bid ended.
The performance gave Los Angeles a much-needed response after an 8-2 loss on Friday. The Dodgers also welcomed Shohei Ohtani back into the lineup after he missed a game because of left knee inflammation. Ohtani immediately made an impact, launching a 409-foot home run on the first swing of the game against White Sox starter Sean Burke. He finished 1-for-3 with two runs scored and three walks, continuing a strong season that has placed him among the National League leaders with a .979 OPS.
Yamamoto has been one of the Dodgers’ most reliable pitchers this season. Through 13 starts, he owns a 3.17 ERA with 80 strikeouts in 85 2/3 innings. While that may not be enough to place him in the center of the Cy Young race amid standout seasons from other elite pitchers, it still reflects another highly effective campaign from the reigning World Series MVP.
Saturday’s outing underscored both the dominance and the frustration that have followed Yamamoto in recent close calls. He flashed the kind of command and composure that had him on the verge of one of baseball’s rarest achievements, and even though history slipped away in the final inning, he left Chicago with a strong start that helped the Dodgers secure the win.
