Shohei Ohtani delivered the decisive blow as the Dodgers beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 2-1 in 10 innings on Saturday, ending a seven-game skid that had threatened to pull the season off course. It was the kind of win that felt overdue for a team that had been short of its best for more than a month.
Ohtani grounded an infield single with two outs in the top of the 10th to bring home Kyle Tucker for the go-ahead run, and that was enough to get the Dodgers back in the win column for the first time since July 30. For a lineup that had looked far too quiet during the slump, the late breakthrough mattered as much as the result itself.
Yamamoto gives the Dodgers a chance
Yoshinobu Yamamoto also played his part, throwing 5 2/3 shutout innings in a no-decision. It was a controlled outing that gave the Dodgers a platform, even if it did not quite produce the kind of dominant finish that would have settled things earlier.
Dave Roberts said the right-hander was not at his sharpest, but still found a way to keep Arizona in check. “The split wasn’t as good as it has been, but he did a fine job,” Roberts said. “He really did, and it’s good to see him, even when his best pitch isn’t there, still go out there and finding ways to get through six innings and put us in a good spot to win.”
Yamamoto himself made clear how much the result meant after the seven-game slide. “We dropped to seven, and I think everybody was feeling the same way. We really wanted to win, and I wanted to get the team off on the right foot,” he said.
Ohtani’s return remains carefully managed
The bigger picture still revolves around Ohtani’s return to two-way duties. He has been playing catch at Chase Field, and earlier in the week Roberts said he was not overly worried about the timeline.
“Any inning, any innings we get from him are bonuses, given he’s a two-way player,” Roberts said. “So I think whether it’s one inning, two innings, three innings, I’m not too concerned about the timeline.”
That is a sensible approach, because the Dodgers do not need to rush him to get value right now. Even before any full return to the mound, Ohtani can still decide games like this one with a single swing or, in this case, a sharp infield hit at exactly the right moment.
Roki Sasaki adds to the encouraging signs
There were also more signs of progress from Roki Sasaki, who pitched six innings against Arizona on Friday, allowing two runs while striking out five and walking one. He has been improving in the second half, and the recent run prevention and strikeout totals suggest he is finding a better rhythm.
For the Dodgers, that combination matters. Yamamoto steadied one game, Sasaki offered support the night before, and Ohtani finished the job when the game reached its most tense point.
The challenge now is to make this feel like a turning point rather than a brief escape. After seven straight losses, the Dodgers needed a result, but they will also need the offense to stay alive if this win is going to mean more than just relief on one Saturday night.
