Yamamoto chased after 1st inning of debut as Padres beat Dodgers 15-11 for 2-game South Korea split

Updated Mar. 21, 2024 11:47 a.m. ET

Associated Press

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — After chasing Yoshinobu Yamamoto from his major league debut after one inning and scoring their most runs ever against the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego's Xander Bogaerts was sad to leave the Gocheok Sky Dome.

“We got to come here more," he said.

Jake Cronenworth tied a career high with four hits and had four RBIs as the Padres outlasted the Dodgers 15-11 on Thursday night after Los Angeles fired Shohei Ohtani’s interpreter following allegations of illegal gambling.

Interpreter Ippei Mizuhara was let go from the team Wednesday following reports from the Los Angeles Times and ESPN about alleged ties to an illegal bookmaker.

Ohtani hit three deep flyouts on a 1-for-5 night, including a sacrifice fly, and was 3 for 10 with two RBIs in the series. He did not speak with reporters.

“I hope Sho is good, but you know, at the end of the day we have to make sure we take care of our jobs," said Mookie Betts, who had six RBIs along with four hits that included the first home run of the major league season. "No matter what cards we’re dealt, we better go play them.”

Yamamoto and Dodgers manager Dave Roberts insisted Mizuhara's situation didn't contribute to the defeat.

“I feel regret that I just couldn't keep the team in the game from the get-go, so I do feel the responsibility for it,” Yamamoto said through a translator. “I just got to get ready for the next outing.”

San Diego gained a split in the opening two-games series, Major League Baseball's first games in South Korea. After the Dodgers rebounded from a 9-2 deficit and closed to 12-11, Manny Machado hit a three-run homer in the ninth off J.P. Feyereisen.

San Diego outhit the Dodgers 17-16, and Los Angeles made three errors that led to a pair of unearned runs. Luis Campusano had three hits and 20-year-old center fielder Jackson Merrill got his first two major league hits.

Yamamoto (0-1) signed a $325 million, 12-year contract, a record amount for a pitcher that created high expectations. San Diego batted around against the two-time Pacific League MVP, and he left with a 45.00 ERA, allowing five runs, four hits, one walk, a hit batter and a wild pitch. Cronenworth's two-run triple, Ha-Seong Kim's sacrifice fly, Campusano's RBI double and Tyler Wade's run-scoring single built a 5-1 lead.

“Just didn’t have the command and so it’s not about the stuff,” Roberts said. “When you’re a command guy, which he’s been his entire career, his life, and you just misfire, get behind in counts, hit batters, that’s just not who he is. ... He’s an easy guy that you know he’ll bounce back from this.”

Bogaerts hit a two-run single in a four-run third off Michael Grove.

Michael King (1-0) won in his Padres debut following his acquisition in the trade that sent Juan Soto to the New York Yankees. King allowed three runs in 3 1/3 innings.

Robert Suarez got four outs for the save after 26-year-old right-hander Stephen Kolek made his major league debut, getting charged with two runs in the eighth.

Padres starter Joe Musgrove gave up five runs, seven hits and two walks in 2 2/3 innings.

Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy allowed Campusano’s first-inning bouncer to get under his glove and down the line for an RBI double, had Fernando Tatis Jr.’s third-inning grounder kick off his glove into left for an error as a run scored, then allowed José Azocar’s seventh-inning grounder to bounce off his glove for a run-scoring error. Muncy hit an inning-ending popup that stranded two runners in the eighth.

In the second season of the pitch clock, the game took 3 hours, 42 minutes, a day after the opener lasted 3:05. Bogaerts struck out for the final out in the eighth when a pitch clock-violation was called by plate umpire Andy Fletcher with a 1-2 count.

Mike Schildt got his first win as Padres manager.

“A lot of courage, a lot of toughness, a lot of fight,” he said. “A really big identity game for our group.”

TRAINER'S ROOM

Bogaerts jammed the ring finger of his left hand while sliding into second base when tagging up in the seventh.

UP NEXT

Dodgers: They host the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday and Monday, then play at Anaheim on Tuesday in the annual exhibition Freeway Series. They resume the season March 28 in their home opener against St. Louis.

Padres: They are home against Seattle in exhibitions at Petco Park on Monday and Tuesday, then resume the season hosting San Francisco in a four-game series starting March 28.

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