After Yamamoto & McLean duel, Dodgers squeak by Mets
LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 14: Yoshinobu Yamamoto #18 of the Los Angeles Dodgers pitches during the game between the New York Mets and the Los Angeles Dodgers at UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday, April 14, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Emma Sharon/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images LOS ANGELES — Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Nolan McLean engaged in a wonderful pitching duel on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium, pitchers with different styles but equally vast repertoires, and both exceedingly difficult to score against. Offenses were kept mostly at bay until the eighth inning, when both teams threatened but only the Dodgers were able to push across the game-winner, beating the Mets 2-1.
Pinch-hitter Miguel Rojas walked to open the eighth, and was sacrificed to second by pinch-hitter Santiago Espinal. With first base opened, Shohei Ohtani was intentionally walked (extending his on-base streak to 48 games, by the way), setting up a struggling Kyle Tucker to dunk one just behind third base for the Dodgers’ first lead of the night. Kyle in the clutch!
pic. twitter. com/t7zmleECQ6 — Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) April 15, 2026 Both starting pitchers gave up single runs in the first inning, and nothing else.
Francisco Lindor hitting a leadoff home run off Yamamoto, and Will Smith doubling off McLean to set up two runner in scoring position, only one of whom scored, on a groundout. Yamamoto struck out seven in his 7 2/3 innings, allowing four hits and a walk in a tidy 104 pitches. McLean struck out eight in his seven innings, giving up two hits and two walks on 95 pitches.
By all accounts, an incredible duel. Yamamoto not only kept the Mets in the ballpark after the Lindor home run, he mostly confined them to the infield. He induced 10 groundouts, five of which were to Freddie Freeman at first base, who dutifully fed a covering Yamamoto four times.