The Dodgers’ bullpen isn’t a problem when they don’t have to use it.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto went the distance in World Series Game 2 on Saturday. It was a contest of which starter would blink first, and Yamamoto never did. Dodgers catcher Will Smith hit a go-ahead home run in the seventh inning, and the Dodgers beat the Blue Jays 5-1 to even this series as it shifts to Los Angeles for Monday’s Game 3.
From the third inning onward, Yamamoto retired the last 20 batters he faced, finishing the game by inducing a popup on his 105th pitch of the night. Yamamoto had gotten into trouble early but minimized the damage and settled in for his second complete game of the postseason. He also pitched all nine innings in Game 2 of the NLCS.
A bullpen meltdown in Game 1 had reinforced the Dodgers’ need to get distance out of their starters, and Yamamoto obliged with eight strikeouts and no walks. It was the first World Series complete game since the Royals’ Johnny Cueto in 2015.
The Dodgers bullpen door never opened, and they had a much needed win.
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