Yamamoto has 10 strikeouts as Dodgers send Padres to 8th straight loss

By: Doug Padilla, The Associated Press Posted: 11:52 PM CDT Saturday, Jul. 4, 2026

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Yoshinobu Yamamoto struck out 10 in seven innings, Freddie Freeman homered and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat San Diego 3-0 on Saturday night, handing the Padres their eighth consecutive loss.

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After wiggling out of a first-inning jam when the Padres had runners on first and third, Yamamoto (9-5) settled in to match a season high with the 10 strikeouts while allowing three hits. He had his second win over the Padres in eight days.

Freeman had two RBIs as the Dodgers won for the 10th time in 12 games in a run that includes five victories over the Padres. Los Angeles improved to 7-2 against San Diego this season.

Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto throws to the plate during the second inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres, Saturday, July 4, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

After Wandy Peralta opened with a scoreless inning for the Padres, right-hander Griffin Canning (1-6) allowed one run over four innings with four strikeouts. San Diego lost eight consecutive games for the first time since dropping 10 in a row in 2013.

San Diego lost the opener of the four-game series after leading by six runs Thursday and blew a three-run lead Friday.

Shortly after earning the first All-Star Game nod of his career, Andy Pages rolled a one-out single into left field in the third inning to score Dalton Rushing and give the Los Angeles a 1-0 lead.

Freeman padded the lead to 2-0 in the sixth inning when he hit a home run to right field off left-hander Kyle Hart, his 15th. Freeman has reached base in 19 consecutive games.

Will Klein pitched the ninth inning for his second save.

Padres closer Mason Miller, who was named an All-Star on Sunday, pitched for the first time in five games gave up an RBI single in the eighth to Freeman.

Up next

Padres LHP JP Sears (1-1, 6.97 ERA) was set to RHP Emmet Sheehan (4-5, 5.08 ERA) on Sunday in the series finale.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb