Giants Pounce on Yamamoto in First, Stun Dodgers 3-1

SAN FRANCISCO — The Giants capitalized on a shaky start from Yoshinobu Yamamoto, plating three runs in the first inning Tuesday night to hand the Dodgers a 3-1 defeat in the series opener at Oracle Park. Yamamoto, the reigning World Series MVP fresh off a dominant postseason, surrendered RBI singles to Jung Hoo Lee and Rafael Devers as San Francisco exploited sloppy defense behind the plate[1]. The quick outburst set the tone, silencing a Dodgers lineup desperate for offensive firepower. Yamamoto, signed to a blockbuster deal last offseason, faltered early with command issues and backing from his fielders, allowing the Giants to load the bases before the key hits. Lee, the Giants' slick-fielding center fielder acquired from Korea, drove in the first run with a sharp single to left, while Devers — on a rehab stint with San Francisco after a midseason trade from Boston — added insurance with his RBI knock[1]. The Dodgers' defense committed two errors in the frame, prolonging the inning and inflating the damage. Despite the rough welcome, Yamamoto rebounded impressively, delivering a quality start with seven strikeouts over seven innings and limiting further scoring[1]. He scattered four hits after the first, lowering his season ERA to 2.45 in his sixth start of 2026. The right-hander threw 102 pitches, inducing 14 whiffs on his signature splitter, but the early deficit proved too steep without run support. The Dodgers scraped across their lone run in the sixth on a Teoscar Hernández solo homer, but Giants starter Logan Webb matched Yamamoto's gem, tossing 7⅔ innings of one-run ball with eight strikeouts. San Francisco's bullpen, led by closer Camilo Doval's perfect ninth, sealed the win. The victory snapped a three-game skid for the Giants, who sit two games back in the NL West race as of April 22, 2026. This clash highlighted Yamamoto's adjustment to MLB pressures post his Japan stardom and World Series heroics, where he posted a 1.06 ERA in four appearances. The Dodgers, atop the standings at 15-7, limp into Wednesday's rubber game, their offense averaging just 3.2 runs per game in Yamamoto's starts despite his ace-level outings[1]. For the Giants, the early rally signals resurgence potential in a packed division.