Sunday, August 31, 2025

Copyrighted by Sarah Morris, 2025

Will Smith, who has been slumping throughout August, had a pinch-hit, walk-off home run to salvage one from the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Los Angeles Dodgers’ lead is two games over the San Diego Padres in the National League Western Division.

Since Tanner Scott gave up a game-tying three-run homer in the eighth inning, the Dodgers wasted a special start by Yoshinobu Yamamoto. The Dodgers beat the Diamondbacks 5-to-4.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto was marvelous in a seven-inning outing. He had ten strikeouts with no walks. He didn’t give up a hit until the fourth inning. His splitter baffled the Diamondbacks. The only run that Yamamoto allowed came in the fourth. He deserved the win, but Tanner Scott couldn’t hold onto a three-run lead.

In the first, the Dodgers produced the same number of runs as they did in the first two games. Shohei Ohtani singled to open the game, and Mookie Betts singled. Freddie Freeman doubled in Ohtani, and Andy Pages’ ground-out scored Betts.

In the fourth, Michael Conforto walked but was forced out on Alex Call’s ground-out. Alex Freeland singled Call to second. Miguel Rojas battled in his at-bat until he could get a single to drive in Call.

To open the fifth, Betts singled and advanced to second on Freeman’s grounder. Pages singled in Betts.

Since Tanner Scott signed a four-year, lucrative contract in January, the Dodgers and their fans expected him to be their stopper. So far this season, Scott has been a disappointment. In the eighth, he came in and quickly retired the first two hitters. Then, he allowed two singles. Though Corbin Carroll has turned into a great left-handed power hitter, Scott needed to retire him regardless because he is an elite left-handed reliever, but he didn’t.  

Blake Treinen was excellent in the ninth.

Will Smith came off the bench to win the game, an important victory.