LOS ANGELES — The game was effectively over before most of the crowd had settled into their seats.
The Dodgers erupted for nine runs in the first inning Saturday night at Uniqlo Field at Dodger Stadium, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto made sure there would be no path back for the Angels in a commanding 9-2 victory.
Shohei Ohtani's second hit of the 1st inning is a home run!
— MLB (@MLB) June 7, 2026
The @Dodgers have scored NINE runs already 😱 pic.twitter.com/5Zt7k9w3SG
Behind another dominant outing from Yamamoto and Shohei Ohtani’s 11th home run of the season, the Dodgers improved to 42-23 and continued their complete control of the Freeway Series. Through five meetings this year, the Dodgers have outscored the Angels 41-5.
“I was given the big lead because I had a lot of run support today,” Yamamoto said. “So I was focusing on executing my pitches one at a time.”
That focus never wavered.
Yamamoto delivered one of his most efficient starts of the season, allowing just two hits and one earned run across eight innings while walking nobody and striking out four. He needed only 93 pitches to complete eight innings and generated a 29 percent called strikes plus whiffs rate.
The lone blemish came early when Oswald Peraza lined a two-out RBI triple in the first inning. From there, Yamamoto took complete control.
After allowing the run-scoring triple, the right-hander retired 22 consecutive batters. The Angels rarely threatened and never forced him into stressful situations, a testament to both his command and ability to attack hitters regardless of the scoreboard.
“Sometimes you catch a big lead and the pitcher starts losing focus and walking guys and not making pitches,” Dave Roberts said. “He was pitching like it was a tie ballgame.”
The outing continued a remarkable stretch for Yamamoto, who has surrendered just three earned runs over his last four starts. During that span, his ERA has dropped from 3.60 to 2.68, and he has recorded three quality starts while improving to 6-4 on the season.
“The adjustment throwing out of the stretch is one thing, but overall, the main stuff is coming all together, so it’s been working out,” Yamamoto said.
The biggest challenge may have come before he ever returned to the mound.
The Dodgers sent 13 batters to the plate during a marathon first inning that lasted long enough to test any starting pitcher’s routine. While the offense piled on run after run, Yamamoto worked behind the scenes to stay loose.
“I went back inside in the cage and then I kept myself moving,” Yamamoto said. “So I can focus on containing my condition.”
The Dodgers' offensive avalanche began immediately.
Ohtani opened the game with an infield single before Andy Pages crushed an 89 mph changeup into the Dodgers bullpen for his 14th homer of the season, giving the Dodgers a 2-1 lead.
Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts and Max Muncy followed with consecutive singles to load the bases. Rookie Ryan Ward then delivered a two-run double to center field, extending the lead to 4-1.
Dalton Rushing, starting after Will Smith was scratched with neck stiffness, drew a walk that chased Angels starter Jack Kochanowicz from the game after just one-third of an inning.
Things only got worse for the Angels.
After reliever Brent Suter entered, Alex Freeland hit a routine ground ball to shortstop Zach Neto. Instead of ending the threat, Neto’s errant throw sailed past first base, allowing three Dodgers runners to score and stretching the lead to 7-1.
“We always say you can’t give a good team extra outs,” Roberts said. “To give us extra outs, just makes us tough to beat.”
Then came Ohtani’s exclamation point.
Batting for the second time in the inning, Ohtani launched an 89 mph sinker into left-center field for a two-run homer, his 11th of the season and 35th RBI. The blast pushed the Dodgers' lead to 9-1 and capped the highest-scoring inning by the Dodgers this season.
The nine-run first inning marked the most runs the Dodgers have scored in a single inning since July 2, 2021, against Washington.
Remarkably, they never scored again.
They didn’t need to.
Kochanowicz absorbed the loss after allowing seven runs on six hits in just one-third of an inning. His ERA climbed to 6.05 and his record fell to 2-5.
Meanwhile, Yamamoto turned the remainder of the evening into a pitching clinic.
“I allowed the first run of the game,” Yamamoto said. “After that, I stayed composed and kept my pitch count low and that was a good thing so I was able to go through eight innings.”
The Angels added their final run in the ninth when Neto connected for a solo homer off reliever Jack Dreyer, but by then the outcome had long been decided.
Rushing appreciated what Yamamoto's efficiency meant beyond just Saturday's win.
“That was pretty big for us,” Rushing said. “It leaves our bullpen fresh for tomorrow, sweep the series.”
Yamamoto also took time after the game to praise fellow Japanese right-hander Roki Sasaki, who has found success recently behind a devastating splitter.
“Obviously I’m very happy because he’s been doing good over his last few starts,” Yamamoto said. “I know because he’s been accumulating a lot of work, putting in a lot of effort, so I’m very proud of him.”
Nine runs in the first inning grabbed the headlines. Yamamoto’s quiet dominance ensured there would be no drama afterward.
The Dodgers are now 5-0 against the Angels this season and will go for a series sweep Sunday afternoon behind right-hander Emmet Sheehan. The Angels will counter with Jose Soriano as they try to avoid being swept and salvage one game from a rivalry that has belonged entirely to the Dodgers in 2026.