In a gripping Cardinals vs. Dodgers matchup, Paul Goldschidt drove in the deciding run in the 10th inning with a groundout following Mookie Betts’ second homer of the night, aiding Los Angeles in tying the game in the ninth. The St. Louis Cardinals secured a 6-5 victory against the Dodgers on Saturday evening after Shohei Ohtani’s bases-loaded pop-up ended the game.
The Cardinals capitalized on a hit batter, catcher’s interference, and a balk, transforming these events into a five-run seventh inning, giving them a 5-3 lead in the ninth. However, the Dodgers managed to equalize against Ryan Helsley (1-0) with a solo home run from Betts and a game-tying single from Max Muncy with two outs. Betts has now hit a home run in four consecutive games.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto, a right-hander, pitched five scoreless innings for Los Angeles in his first home appearance, enduring a rain delay at Dodger Stadium, which was reportedly the first since April 2017. This performance marked a significant improvement from his disappointing MLB debut on March 21, where he conceded five runs in just one inning against the San Diego Padres in Seoul, South Korea.
“Compared to the last one, I think I had my stuff back,” Yamamoto expressed through an interpreter. “Now I have to keep doing it, so I’m looking forward to the next one.”
Right-hander Lance Lynn, pitching for St. Louis for the first time since 2017, delivered four scoreless innings before being withdrawn following a 35-minute rain delay. Despite loading the bases in the first inning, Lynn managed to evade trouble and maintain a close game early on.
“I loaded the bases up, you know, and waited to see if the old dog still had it,” remarked the 36-year-old Lynn regarding his initial inning. “He still does, so it went all right. All in all, my stuff felt good. First start, you miss a little bit here and there and I was able to correct and not give up a big inning.”
The Dodgers’ right-hander Kyle Hurt (0-1) surrendered a run in 2 2/3 innings. Helsley allowed two runs on four hits in the ninth before Giovanny Gallegos sealed the victory in the 10th, inducing Ohtani to pop out to shortstop with his final pitch.
Will Smith contributed with two RBI singles, while Freddie Freeman added an RBI single for the Dodgers.
The game experienced a scoreless period after a delay that began at the end of the fourth inning. The Cardinals initiated their comeback in the seventh, loading the bases and capitalizing on several opportunities to take a commanding lead.
“We fit it all in one inning. It was a weird inning,” stated Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol. “I’m glad it worked out the way it did. Guys kept fighting. Especially in this environment, you get down against that group and then give it back up in the ninth, it’s tough. To continue to fight the way we did, that was awesome.”
Cardinals shortstop Brandon Crawford, with significant experience at Dodger Stadium as a former member of the San Francisco Giants, noted the rarity of rain at the venue.
“It was much more San Francisco-like weather than L.A. for sure,” Crawford remarked. “I don’t know how many times I’ve seen it rain here, and then the cold breeze, it was definitely different for Dodger Stadium.”
In terms of injuries, Dodgers’ left-hander Clayton Kershaw, recovering from offseason shoulder surgery, participated in a throwing session from 120 feet in the outfield. Meanwhile, right-hander Brusdar Graterol (shoulder) is set to resume mound work next week as part of his rehabilitation process.
In the upcoming games, LHP Steven Matz will make his season debut for the Cardinals, while RHP Gavin Stone will take the mound for the Dodgers.
