Dodgers’ Yates blows save on walk-off HR in Texas

ARLINGTON, Tex. – Adolis Garcia hit a walk-off two-run home run, leading the Texas Rangers to a 4-3 victory against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday afternoon at Globe Life Field.

The Dodgers gave right-hander Kirby Yates the opportunity to close out the game against his former team. However, his ex-teammate Garcia hit a 94 mph fastball hard after Yates allowed a leadoff double to Josh Smith. Yates, with a record of 1-1 and a 3.48 ERA, had pitched impressively the night before, which likely gave manager Dave Roberts confidence in him. Unfortunately, the plan did not unfold as expected.

Right-hander Roki Sasaki started for the Dodgers and delivered an impressive performance, pitching six innings while allowing just two hits and two runs. He looked poised to earn his first major league victory as the Dodgers' bullpen maintained the lead until the ninth inning. Additionally, the Dodgers activated right-hander Evan Phillips and placed right-hander Blake Treinen on the injured list due to forearm tightness.

Philips, 30, entered the game in the eighth inning and recorded two outs with two strikeouts before left-hander Alex Vesia came in to close the inning. Unfortunately, Yates blew the save after facing the first two batters in the ninth. Prior to that, the Dodgers had only allowed three total hits and two runs through the first eight innings.

Despite the loss, the future looks bright for Sasaki as he prepares for another impressive outing, this time on the road against a tough team led by Bruce Bochy. He threw 78 pitches, with 49 of them being strikes, while walking three batters and striking out four.

The Rangers opened the scoring with a 2-0 lead thanks to Kyle Higashioka's two-run home run off Sasaki, following a walk to Dustin Harris at the start of the third inning.

Rangers right-hander Nathan Eovaldi started the game and pitched six innings, allowing three runs—one of which was unearned—along with five hits and seven strikeouts. Jacob Webb, now 2-0 for the season, secured his second win by pitching the final two innings without giving up a hit.

The Dodgers' offense came alive in the fourth inning when Mookie Betts hit a leadoff single. Freddie Freeman then followed with a two-run home run, tying the game. This marked Freeman's third home run of the season. Michael Conforto then singled to center and advanced to second base due to a pickoff throwing error. Max Muncy capped off the inning with a ground-rule double, allowing Conforto to score. That was the only inning of offense for the Dodgers.

Tommy Edman, Teoscar Hernandez, and Will Smith were hitless, finishing with a combined record of 0-for-11. Betts and Freeman's only hit occurred in the fourth inning.

The Dodgers aim to win the series on Sunday, sending right-hander Tyler Glasnow (1-0, 4.85 ERA) to the mound. Meanwhile, the Rangers will counter with right-hander Tyler Mahle (3-0, 0.92 ERA) as they look to improve their home record to 11-2.