(Reuters) — Andy Pages homered and Yoshinobu Yamamoto allowed one run over seven innings to pace the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers to a 5-1 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday in the deciding game of the series between division leaders.
Yamamoto (4-4), who tossed a complete game three-hitter against the Brewers in the NLCS last fall, scattered seven hits, striking out three and walking one in a 92-pitch outing.
Will Klein and Tanner Scott each followed with a scoreless inning as the Dodgers’ bullpen extended its franchise record to 38 consecutive scoreless innings. The streak is the longest in the majors since 2017 when the Cleveland bullpen strung together 38 2/3 scoreless innings.
The Dodgers won the final two games of the series to finish their nine-game road trip 7-2 and stay atop the NL West.
The Dodgers gained control with four runs in the fifth to go in front 5-1. Mookie Betts singled to open and Freddie Freeman walked, chasing starter Brandon Sproat (1-3). Kyle Tucker greeted reliever Shane Drohan with a two-run triple into the right field corner. Pages followed with his 11th homer, sending the first pitch 380 feet to left.
Sproat allowed three runs on four hits in four-plus innings. He struck out seven but had four walks, a hit batter and a wild pitch.
The Brewers manufactured a run in the second when Jake Bauers was hit by a pitch to lead off, advanced to third on Garrett Mitchell’s one-out single to center and scored on Sal Frelick’s fielder’s choice grounder.
The Dodgers capitalized on Sproat’s loss of command in the fourth to tie it 1-all. Teoscar Hernandez and Dalton Rushing singled with one out. Miguel Rojas was hit by a pitch to load the bases and Hernandez scored on a wild pitch. Sproat escaped when Shohei Ohtani bounced to first to end the inning.
Sproat kept the Dodgers off the board in the first two innings despite three walks and a double, stranding three runners in scoring position.
