Yoshinobu Yamamoto Struggles in Debut as Padres Beat Dodgers in the Seoul Series Finale

SEOUL ― Japanese pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto was shelled in his MLB debut on Thursday, March 21 and the San Diego Padres romped to a 15-11 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers to even the Seoul Series at one game apiece.

Yamamoto, who signed a $325 million USD (approximately ¥49 billion JPY), 12-year deal with the Dodgers in the off-season, lasted only one inning and gave up five runs on four hits at Gocheok Sky Dome while walking one and striking out two batters.

"I wasn't able to control my pitches from the start and I got into a jam right away," said Yamamoto, who took the loss. "It's regrettable that I lost and I feel responsible, but it's a long season and I just have to do my best to turn things around."

The three-time Sawamura Award winner surrendered a single to leadoff hitter Xander Bogaerts, and things just went downhill from there.

Yamamoto hit Fernando Tatis Jr with a pitch and Jake Cronenworth followed with a triple to right that scored Bogaerts and Tatis Jr.

South Korean star Ha Seong Kim hit a sacrifice fly to center that scored Cronenworth.

"It was just good at-bats, obviously he has amazing stuff but we just went out there and took good swings and that was a plus for us," said Cronenworth.

Luis Campusano would later hit a double that deflected off third baseman Max Muncy, allowing Manny Machado to score from third to make it 4-0.

Tyler Wade hit a line drive to right that would plate Campusano from second before Yamamoto finally got Jackson Merrill on a strikeout to end an inning that was excruciating to watch.

Yamamoto Insists Pitch Clock Wasn't a Factor

It was the first regular-season game where Yamamoto had to pitch with the pitch clock but he said that wasn't a factor for the poor results.

"I was aware of it but it didn't affect the way I pitched," the former Orix Buffaloes star said. 

It was not the debut that Yamamoto or the Dodgers envisioned when they signed him to the lucrative contract.

"He just didn't have the command," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. "It's not about the stuff. When you are a command guy, which he has been for his entire career, and you misfire and get behind on batters and hit batters, that's just not who he is."

But Roberts said there is no need to panic.

"We've just got to get back to refining the delivery and tightening up the command and he'll be fine," added Roberts. 

In Seoul Series Slugfest, Padres Take a Commanding Lead in 3rd Inning

The Padres would score four more runs in the top of the top of the third to take a commanding 9-2 lead but the Dodgers found a way to make a game of it with four runs in the bottom of the third.

Mookie Betts, who was the best hitter for the Dodgers, delivered the key hit in the third, a double off the wall in left that scored Jason Heyward and Gavin Lux to make it 9-6.

Betts would come through again in the fifth with a two-run homer to cut the lead to 10-8 for San Diego.

But just when it looked like the Dodgers might even the score, the Padres widened their lead. 

Campusano doubled on a sharp ground ball to left in the sixth to score Jose Azocar and make it 11-8 and Muncy committed his second error of the game in the seventh that allowed Bogaerts to score from third for a 12-8 lead.

Ohtani Provides an Early Spark for Dodgers

Shohei Ohtani had a decent night at the plate. Batting second as the designated hitter, Ohtani hit a single in his first at-bat and a run-scoring sac fly in his second trip to the plate.

He grounded out in the third and lined out sharply to right in the fifth and came very close to hitting a home run in the seventh when he greeted compatriot Yuki Matsui, a Padres newcomer this season, with a towering fly to the wall in right field. 

Will Smith cut the lead to 12-9 with an RBI single off Matsui in the seventh that scored Betts from second.

Betts Pulls Dodgers Within a Run in 8th

Betts, who finished the night going 4-for-5 with six RBIs, singled on a ground ball to center in the bottom of the eighth to drive in two runs and cut the lead to 12-11 but that was as close as the Dodgers would get.

"Mookie had a fantastic game," Roberts said. "He's a spark plug, as everyone knows as he goes, the offense goes."

Roberts rejected the notion that the off-field matter involving Ohtani's fired interpreter Ippei Mizuhara was a factor in the game.

"I don't think so," Roberts said, referring to Mizuhara's dismissal on Wednesday for alleged theft of $4.5 million (¥677 million) from Ohtani to pay gambling debts.

"This team has been through a lot as far as the core guys go. It didn't affect Yoshinobu, I believe that. We just got behind the eight ball."

Machado put the result beyond doubt with a three-run blast in the top of the ninth to make it 15-11.

San Diego pitcher Michael King was the winning pitcher in the Seoul Series finale after coming on in the fourth and giving up three runs on four hits and striking out five over 3⅓ innings.

There were a combined 13 pitchers for the Dodgers and Padres in the game.

RELATED:

• Dodgers Fire Shohei Ohtani's Interpreter Ippei Mizuhara Amid Allegations of 'Massive Theft'
• Shohei Ohtani Era Begins as Dodgers Rally to Beat Padres in the MLB Opener
• Seoul Series: Dodgers Manager Outlines Plans for Ohtani and Yamamoto Ahead of Opener
• Shohei Ohtani Arrives in Seoul as MLB's Global Icon

Author: Jim Armstrong

The author is a longtime journalist who has covered sports in Japan for over 25 years. You can find his articles on SportsLook.