Cubs beat Dodgers 6-3 in Yamamoto-Imanaga matchup as LA makes 3 errors in 5-run 8th inning

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Cubs rallied for the tying and go-ahead runs in a five-run eighth inning, when the Los Angeles Dodgers committed three errors in a 6-3 loss to Chicago on Tuesday night that featured a matchup of Japanese star pitchers Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Shota Imanaga.

The NL West-leading Dodgers blew a 3-1 lead and lost to the Cubs for the second straight night, assuring their first series loss since Aug. 5-7 against visiting Philadelphia. Los Angeles' division lead was cut to 4 1/2 games over second-place San Diego.

“We've played wonderful defense this series,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said.

Chicago is four games back of Atlanta and the New York Mets, who are tied for the last NL wild card.

Center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong robbed Max Muncy of a potential two-run homer with two outs in the ninth.

“Honestly, it feels like he has some like Velcro or something in his glove because he keeps making these great plays,” designated hitter Seiya Suzuki said through an interpreter.

Crow-Armstrong made a terrific sliding catch on the warning track of Kiké Hernández to end the seventh at the ballpark where he attended games as a youngster.

“I love it,” Crow-Armstrong said. “It feels better winning these last two and going home tomorrow with some good momentum.”

A leadoff walk by Alex Vesia, a throwing error by catcher Austin Barnes, center fielder Tommy Edman’s errant throw that went into the camera well near the Dodgers dugout and a fielding error by second baseman Hernández helped the Cubs take a 6-3 lead.

“It was a frustrating way to lose that game,” Muncy said. “We made a lot of mental mistakes. We got to eliminate that.”

Yamamoto struck out his first four batters of his first start in nearly three months, facing off against Chicago’s Imanaga (13-3) in a matchup of former Japanese big league rivals pitching against each other for the first time in Major League Baseball.

“They’ve traveled halfway around the world and they’re still competing against each other,” Counsell said before the game. “That’s pretty cool.”

Imanaga allowed three runs and seven hits in seven innings, struck out four and walked none.

“Today I pitched well because I was going against him,” Imanaga said through an interpreter. “I had a limit and I kind of went past that. It was a good day.”

Porter Hodge pitched the ninth for his fifth save. He stepped off the mound with two outs to go, complaining that his heart was racing. He has experienced the issue before and was cleared to pitch, Counsell said.

Evan Phillips (3-1) allowed two runs and four hits in the eighth.

Yamamoto gave up one run and three hits in four innings of his first start since June 16 following an injured list trip caused by a rotator cuff strain. He struck out eight and walked none.

“Today was pretty close to the best of the year,” Yamamoto said through an interpreter. “Today's outing turned out much better than I expected.”

Before getting hurt, Yamamoto was off to an impressive start in the major leagues. He was 6-2 with a 2.92 ERA while striking out 84 over 74 innings. He earned his first MLB victory against the Cubs at Wrigley Field on April 6. Yamamoto signed a $325 million, 12-year contract with the Dodgers last offseason.

“It was good to see Yoshi back,” Muncy said. “His stuff looked really sharp, his velo was there, the execution was there, so it was good to see. We just got to get his pitch count built back up and it's going to be really huge for us down the stretch.”

In front of 51,923, the game featured Imanaga and Suzuki against Yamamoto and Shohei Ohtani. They were teammates for Japan in the 2023 World Baseball Classic, winning the title over the U.S., although Suzuki was hurt and didn’t play.

Suzuki finished 3 for 5 witha run. Ohtani was hitless in four at-bats. He remains four homers and three stolen bases from becoming the first player in major league history to achieve a 50-50 season.

“Yamamoto was doing a really good job, difficult to face him,” Suzuki said through an interpreter.

Edman homered twice on two pitches from Imanaga for a 2-1 lead.

Edman hit his first homer of the season into the lower left field seats on a 92-mph fastball leading off the third, tying the game 1-1. The center fielder went deep again in the fourth, sending a go-ahead shot into the left field pavilion on a 93-mph fastball.

The Dodgers extended the lead to 3-1 on Muncy's homer leading off the fifth.

Chicago led 1-0 on Crow-Armstrong's infield single to first that hit Freddie Freeman and bounced into foul territory, scoring Isaac Paredes, who singled.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Dodgers: LHP Anthony Banda went on the IL with a left hand fracture, the result of punching a wall after his outing on Monday. ... RHP Tyler Glasnow (tendonitis) used his entire pitch mix in a bullpen session. “He was ripping the fastball,” manager Dave Roberts said. Next up is facing hitters in a simulated game Friday in Atlanta. ... OF Teoscar Hernández (bruised foot) was available off the bench and is expected back in the lineup Wednesday.

UP NEXT

Cubs: LHP Jordan Wicks (2-3, 4.03 ERA) is 1-1 since coming off the IL on Sept. 1.

Dodgers: RHP Bobby Miller (2-4, 7.79) tries to avoid a second straight loss.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Chicago Cubs' Seiya Suzuki, left, scores on a an error by Los Angeles Dodgers second baseman Kiké Hernández as Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Austin Barnes stands by during the eighth inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Chicago Cubs relief pitcher Porter Hodge, right, grabs his chest as manager Craig Counsell, left, and a trainer check on him during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Chicago Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong makes a catch on a ball hit by Los Angeles Dodgers' Kiké Hernández during the seventh inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Tommy Edman heads to first for a solo home run during the second inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Tommy Edman hits a solo home run during the second inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Tommy Edman, left, heads to first for a solo home run as Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Shota Imanaga, center, and catcher Miguel Amaya watch during the fourth inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Shota Imanaga throws to the plate during the third inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Shota Imanaga, left, and Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani, center, run to first as Ohtani grounds into a double play as catcher Miguel Amaya watches during the third inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto, left, pitches to Chicago Cubs' Seiya Suzuki, right, as catcher Austin Barnes, second from left, and home plate umpire Cory Blaser watch during the first inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto throws to the plate during the first inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Shota Imanaga gestures after Los Angeles Dodgers' Mookie Betts grounded out to end the the third inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Colt Keith hit a two-run homer, Matt Vierling had three hits while driving in the go-ahead run, and the Detroit Tigers rallied from an early four-run deficit to beat the Kansas City Royals 7-6 on Monday night in a crucial game for their playoff hopes.

Pinch-hitter Wenceel Pérez had the tying two-run double for Detroit, which began its final trip of the regular season by moving within 1 1/2 games of Minnesota for the final AL wild-card spot. The Twins lost to Cleveland earlier in the night.

“It was an incredible win because of how we were able to do it,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said. “We didn't do much early, although our at-bats were pretty good. Started to chip away a little bit, a couple of really big swings, and then we held on."

Brenan Hanifee (1-1) earned the win in relief for Detroit, allowing one run and three hits over 2 1/3 innings. Jason Foley finished off a solid bullpen performance, working a perfect ninth to earn his 24th save and second in two days.

“The bullpen has been doing it all year for us,” Keith said, “and they did it again tonight.”

Bobby Witt Jr. hit a grand slam to stake Kansas City to a 4-0 lead, and he added a bunt single for a five-RBI game. But the Royals otherwise kept squandering chances to score, just as they did in their loss to the Pirates on Sunday.

Sam Long (3-2) took the loss for Kansas City, allowing three runs while retiring just two batters in relief of Seth Lugo.

“A lot of stuff happened in that game, clearly. It was an intense back-and-forth, both teams putting everything on the line,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “You get out to a lead, you feel pretty good. You know they're not going to go away.”

Indeed, the Royals started their final homestand by taking advantage of what Detroit could not: the bases loaded.

The Tigers packed them in the third before Keith grounded out to second to end the threat. But when Kansas City loaded the bases in the bottom half — a leadoff walk from Adam Frazier, a single by Yuli Gurriel and a bunt single from Kyle Isbel — Witt hit a 1-1 pitch what seemed like a mile high and over the left-field wall for his second grand slam of the season.

Reese Olson, making his first start since straining his right shoulder July 20 in Toronto, was lifted one batter later, after Salvador Perez blooped a single to right. He allowed four runs, four hits and a walk while throwing 50 pitches.

The Tigers still trailed 5-1 in the fifth when they began their comeback, scoring once on Witt's throwing error and twice more when Keith homered to right. And after Witt delivered an RBI single in the bottom half for his 200th hit of the season, Detroit pushed across three more runs in the sixth off Long and John Schreiber to take a 7-6 lead.

“We had trouble putting them away from the very beginning. There weren’t a lot of easy outs,” Quatraro said. "You have got to give them credit the way they battled their at-bats and drove (Seth) Lugo’s pitch count up. Then they continued to put good at-bats up. I thought ours were pretty good, too. We just didn’t get the big hits like they did.”

The Royals had two aboard with one out in the seventh, and the first two on base in the eighth, but failed to score both times.

“That was one of the best games we've played as a team,” Keith said. “I don't think anybody thought that we were out of it."

Tigers: RHP Ricky Vanasco was optioned to Triple-A Toledo to make space for Olson on the roster. Vanasco pitched two scoreless innings in two appearances with the club, earning his first big league win on Sept. 5 in Oakland.

Royals: RHP Chris Stratton, who went on the injured list Saturday, was diagnosed with a Grade-1 flexor strain and will be shut down for at least a week. ... RHP James McArthur left Monday's game after retiring two batters with right elbow tightness.

Detroit: RHP Casey Mize (2-6, 4.47) is on the mound against Kansas City for the second game of the series Tuesday night.

Kansas City: LHP Cole Ragans (11-9, 3.32) faces the Tigers after striking out 12 against them in an 8-3 win on May 22.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Detroit Tigers manager A.J. Hinch talks to his players on the mound as he makes a pitching change during the third inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Seth Lugo throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Reese Olson throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Kansas City Royals' Bobby Witt Jr. hits a grand slam during the third inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Kansas City Royals' Bobby Witt Jr. runs the bases after hitting a grand slam during the third inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Kansas City Royals' Bobby Witt Jr. celebrates with teammates in the dugout after hitting a grand slam during the third inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)