Kyle Tucker stays hot, Yoshinobu Yamamoto delivers as Dodgers hold off Mets for fourth straight win
The Sporting Tribune
Host · Writer
NEW YORK — The Dodgers continue to look every bit like the team to beat in baseball.
Kyle Tucker homered for the second consecutive game, Yoshinobu Yamamoto worked through traffic to deliver six strong innings and the Dodgers took advantage of two costly New York defensive mistakes to beat the Mets 4-3 on Saturday night at Citi Field. The victory extended Los Angeles' winning streak to four games and improved the defending World Series champions to 67-38, the best record in Major League Baseball. It also gave the Dodgers a perfect 5-0 record against the Mets this season.
The Dodgers did most of their damage during a decisive three-run third inning.
Tucker, who chose the Dodgers over the Mets in free agency last offseason by signing a four-year, $240 million contract, gave Los Angeles an early spark by driving Nolan McLean's 2-2 fastball just inside the right-field foul pole for his ninth home run of the season. It marked the first time Tucker has homered in consecutive games since joining Los Angeles and continued his recent surge at the plate.
Los Angeles then capitalized on sloppy defense from New York. Andy Pages drove home a run on a groundout after Mets first baseman Brett Baty made a throwing error, and another Dodgers run scored when catcher Francisco Alvarez was charged with his National League-leading eighth passed ball of the season.
Pages added an RBI single in the fifth inning to push the Dodgers' lead to 4-0, while Freddie Freeman continued his torrid stretch by collecting three hits for the third consecutive game.
Yamamoto (11-6) didn't have his sharpest command, but once again showed why he has been one of baseball's most dependable starters this season. The right-hander allowed one run on five hits over six innings, striking out five while walking three. Despite frequently pitching with runners on base, he repeatedly escaped trouble and kept New York from putting together a big inning.
The Mets finally broke through in the fifth when Bo Bichette delivered an RBI single, then made things interesting in the eighth after pinch-hitter Tyrone Taylor ripped a two-run double off Tanner Scott to trim the deficit to one.
Scott responded by striking out rookie A.J. Ewing with two runners aboard to preserve the lead before Brock Stewart retired the side in order in the ninth for his third career save and first since May 2023.
McLean (7-7) deserved a better fate after allowing four runs — only two earned — over six innings, but New York's defensive miscues proved too much to overcome.
The loss continued a miserable stretch for the Mets, who dropped to 43-62 and a season-worst 19 games under .500. Their uphill climb became even steeper earlier Saturday when All-Star Juan Soto was placed on the injured list with a strained left calf, an injury expected to sideline him for at least three weeks.
The series concludes Sunday with Dodgers right-hander Emmet Sheehan (4-7, 5.13 ERA) scheduled to face Mets right-hander Freddy Peralta (5-9, 5.01 ERA) as Los Angeles goes for the three-game sweep.
