In the NLCS, hurler Yoshinobu Yamamoto of the Los Angeles Dodgers achieved a rare feat, pitching a complete game in a Major League Baseball postseason contest, an event that hadn’t transpired in eight years. This Saturday, during the World Series, he replicated that accomplishment, delivering another complete game, this time marking the first in 11 days.
Fueled by another impressive showing from their primary pitcher this season, the Dodgers overcame a lopsided defeat in Game 1, clinching a 5-1 victory in Game 2, thereby leveling the series at 1-1 as it transitions to Los Angeles. Game 3 is scheduled to commence at 8 p.m. ET on Monday at the iconic Dodger Stadium.
Game 2 featured a pitching duel between the two squads’ standout pitchers from the regular season, both of whom justified their reputations. Yamamoto and Kevin Gausman engaged in a back-and-forth showdown, each recovering from an early run to establish lengthy streaks of retiring opposing batters.
It was Gausman whose armor cracked first. After retiring 17 consecutive batters, Will Smith blasted a ball 404 feet into the second tier, breaking the 1-1 deadlock.
Shortly after, Max Muncy followed suit with another home run, spelling the end of Gausman’s outing. The Dodgers then tacked on an additional two runs in the eighth inning against the Blue Jays’ bullpen.
Meanwhile, Yamamoto maintained his dominance.
The Blue Jays’ offensive lineup, which had been overwhelming opposing pitchers throughout the postseason, struggled to decipher his diverse arsenal of six pitches, leading to Yamamoto asserting increasing control as the game progressed. After surrendering his lone run in the third inning, he proceeded to retire 20 consecutive batters to conclude the game.
His final stat line read: 9 innings pitched, 4 hits allowed, 1 earned run yielded, 0 walks issued, and 8 strikeouts recorded across 105 pitches. It was a performance befitting an ace, delivered by an ace. It underscored why the Dodgers committed $325 million to him before he even threw his first MLB pitch — because they, like many other teams, recognized the exceptional quality of his stuff.
This marked the first complete game in a World Series matchup since Johnny Cueto’s performance for the Kansas City Royals in 2015, and it represented the first instance of a pitcher throwing consecutive complete games since Curt Schilling accomplished it in 2001 with the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Behind the plate for the entire duration was Smith, who also contributed runs through two of his plate appearances, in addition to his home run. In essence, Los Angeles’ battery pairing effectively secured the victory in this game.
Dodgers seize initiative as World Series transitions to Los Angeles
This has consistently been the Dodgers’ strategic blueprint: an offense renowned for leading the National League in home runs this season, coupled with a rotation anchored by exceptional starting pitchers, all aimed at mitigating the vulnerabilities of a questionable bullpen. It will now fall upon Tyler Glasnow to sustain this momentum in Game 3, while former Dodger Max Scherzer will take the mound for the Blue Jays.
On the other hand, for Toronto, the positive vibes generated from Game 1 have diminished considerably. Their offense performed admirably against Blake Snell and a few members of the Dodgers’ bullpen on Friday, but now the Jays must head to Chavez Ravine for three consecutive games, where they will face Glasnow, Shohei Ohtani, and Snell once again — and Snell possesses the capacity to transition from struggling to dominating at a moment’s notice.
Scherzer effectively handled his assignment in Game 4 of the ALCS against the Seattle Mariners, but this Dodgers offense presents a significantly different challenge. We’ll observe the unfolding events on Monday.
Stay connected with Yahoo Sports for real-time updates, highlights, and more from Game 2 of the 2025 World Series:
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Yahoo Sports
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Varsho flies out to Muncy, concluding Game 2.
Another complete game masterpiece from Yoshinobu Yamamoto, permitting merely one run, without any walks, and securing eight strikeouts across 105 pitches.
A Game 5 will indeed take place in this World Series. Game 3 is slated for Monday in L.A.
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Kirk hits a ball at 101 mph to Justin Dean in center, who executes a stellar play to secure out No. 2.
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Vlad grounds out to Freeman at first, resulting in the first out.
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Yamamoto is pursuing his second consecutive complete game in this postseason, following a standout performance against the Brewers in the NLCS.
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Braydon Fisher records three quick outs, concluding the top of the ninth.
The Blue Jays face their final three opportunities. Guerrero, Kirk, and Varsho are slated to bat.
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Muncy initiates the inning with a walk, marking his second time reaching base tonight, granting the Dodgers a baserunner in the ninth inning.
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Jack Baer
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Jack Baer
Yoshinobu Yamamoto strikes out the side in the eighth, bringing the Dodgers within three outs of securing the win. He’s currently at 93 pitches, and it’s reasonable to assume he’ll be permitted to finish the game unless Toronto manages to get multiple baserunners in the ninth.
This is undoubtedly ace-caliber performance, delivered by an ace.
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Jack Baer
It seemed certain that Andres Gimenez had the out at home, but he opted instead to attempt to conclude the inning.
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Jack Baer
Teoscar Hernández strikes out, concluding a challenging night for him and concluding the inning. It’s time for the Blue Jays’ offense to step up against Yamamoto or face the prospect of heading to L.A. with the series tied.
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Jack Baer
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Jack Baer
Will Smith hits what could have been a double-play ball, but Andres Gimenez opts to go for second base instead of attempting to get the runner out at home. Toronto manages to secure the out at second, but Smith outruns the throw to first. The Dodgers now possess a four-run lead for Yoshinobu Yamamoto to safeguard.
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Jack Baer
Freeman receives another ball, prompting the Jays to intentionally walk him. Will Smith steps up to the plate with the bases loaded and one out still on the board.
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Jack Baer
Jeff Hoffman’s initial pitch to Freddie Freeman is a slider that bounces in the dirt, eluding Alejandro Kirk, resulting in another run for the Dodgers. It seemed the ball might have grazed Freeman’s foot as well, though he doesn’t dispute it.
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Jack Baer
Now, Mookie Betts earns a walk, loading the bases with one out. This marks the end for Louis Varland, as Toronto brings in their premier reliever, Jeff Hoffman, to prevent Freddie Freeman from further extending the lead.
You might recall Freeman delivering a significant hit with the bases loaded on this very date last year.
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