Freddie Freeman had an RBI single in a two-run sixth inning and Yoshinobu Yamamoto did not allow a run over 5 1/3 innings as the host Los Angeles Dodgers earned a 2-1 victory in the opener of a four-game series against the San Francisco Giants on Thursday.
Yamamoto kept the Giants off the scoreboard despite a career-high six walks, while allowing just one hit with seven strikeouts.
Six Dodgers pitchers combined to allow one hit in the game with 10 walks and 14 strikeouts, as left-hander Jack Dreyer (3-2) earned the win and left-hander Alex Vesia pitched the ninth for his fifth save.
Los Angeles (86-67) increased its National League West lead to three games over the San Diego Padres and reduced its magic number for clinching a playoff berth to one.
Giants right-hander Logan Webb (14-11) gave up two runs (one earned) over seven innings with one walk and five strikeouts. San Francisco (76-77) lost for the fifth time over its past six games and is now three games out of the final wild-card spot in the NL.
The only San Francisco hit was a single from Patrick Bailey in the second inning.
The Dodgers broke through on the scoreboard in the sixth inning against Webb. Ben Rortvedt scored from third base on a ground ball from Mookie Betts as Bailey dropped the throw at home from Giants shortstop Willy Adames.
One batter later, Freeman’s single gave the Dodgers a 2-0 lead.
The Giants pulled within a run in a wild seventh inning when not a single ball was put in play. Right-hander Michael Kopech saw his struggles continue with two walks and a strikeout.
Ben Treinen came on to deliver consecutive walks, the second to Rafael Devers to force home a run. Treinen got out of the jam with consecutive strikeouts against Adames and Matt Chapman.
Anthony Banda pitched a perfect eighth inning for Los Angeles before Vesia tied his career high in saves while finishing off the Dodgers’ eighth victory in 11 games.
The Dodgers’ victory came hours after veteran left-hander Clayton Kershaw announced his retirement, effective at the end of the season, in an emotional news conference that included many of his teammates.
