Dodgers jump out to early lead but falter late in

Yoshinobu Yamamoto was flawless over his first 5 innings in the Dodgers’ 8-6 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday evening at Dodger Stadium, giving up no hits, hanging out seven and strolling one.

“It comes down to starting pitching,” supervisor Dave Roberts said before the sport. “And obviously it’s a young, hungry team out there. Came out last night swinging the bats, so it’d be nice to put up a zero, get a lead, and go from there.”

Roberts’ want appeared granted, as the Dodgers led 3-0 in the first inning after Freddie Freeman ended his career-worst 47-game homer drought with a three-run blast against Cardinals left-hander Brycen Mautz. Mookie Betts added a two-run homer in the sixth.

But the once-cruising ace encountered turbulence. Yamamoto gave up a pair of two-run homers, with the Cardinals’ Thomas Saggese launching the first in the sixth inning and Leo Bernal the second in the seventh, pulling St. Louis to within 5-4.

Yamamoto’s evening was finished after seven innings. He threw 93 pitches, had eight strikeouts and gave up 5 hits, two walks and 4 runs, a few errors away from a utterly different outing.

Closer Tanner Scott stepped in for the eighth, giving up a double to St. Louis’ Joshua Báez three pitches in. And after Ivan Herrera moved Báez to third on a groundout, Alec Burleson tied the rating at 5 with a sacrifice fly to proper.

Left-hander Jack Dreyer saved issues secure with a clean ninth, and the sport stretched to further innings. However, in the tenth, Brock Stewart (0-2) uninspiringly gave up three runs. Orange County native Nathan Church bought the Cardinals’ wheels turning with a single up the center, advancing José Fermin to third. Saggese delivering the go-ahead run on an infield single. One pitch later, Báez basically put the sport out of attain with a two-run double.

The Dodgers (82-57) might get only one run in the underside of the tenth on a groundout.

CT3 comes home

The Dodgers welcomed back former longtime utility participant Chris Taylor to Dodger Stadium and offered him with a video tribute and his third World Series ring.

“It’s pretty much what I identify my career as — over 90% of my entire career was in Dodger blue,” Taylor said. “This is the place I call home. Always proud to be a Dodger, and it means a lot to me that they would do this for me. So, I’m extremely humbled.”

Taylor, a 12-year veteran who retired this season, said Wednesday evening was the first time he was in a position to watch a recreation with his household.

Injury updates

Shohei Ohtani reacts after hanging out in tenth inning Wednesday.

(Ronaldo Bolanos/Los Angeles Times)

Roberts said the plan still is for Shohei Ohtani to return to pitching this season. However, there may be no timetable for when he’ll throw his next bullpen session.

“We’re not there quite yet, but it’s certainly an option,” Roberts said. He also shed mild on some of the work Ohtani’s doing to get back on the mound.

“He’s doing plyos,” Roberts said, referring to plyometrics, or explosive training workouts. “He does that a handful of times a week. … That’s kind of where we’re at.”

Catcher Will Smith was given a breather after going one for 5 with two RBIs in his first recreation back from a three-month stint on the injured record on Tuesday.

“It was good to see him get a knock,” Roberts said. “I thought he swung the bat pretty well. So, it’s a premeditated day off today. He’ll be back in there tomorrow, but I guess no news is good news.”

It wasn’t a full day without work, as Smith pinch-hit for Hunter Feduccia in the ninth and scored the Dodgers’ run in the tenth.

Right-hander Roki Sasaki’s blister is therapeutic while he’s on the IL, so he shouldn’t miss extra time.

“I saw him yesterday at the end of the bench; it’s healing well,” Roberts said. “He’s still moving his arm, playing catch. So I think it’s going to be a shorter term getting him back.”

Roberts doesn’t yet know whether or not Sasaki will take a spot in rotation upon his return.

Another right-hander, Gavin Stone, who hasn’t pitched since August 2024 doubtlessly might pitch this month, Roberts said. Stone not too long ago made his fourth rehab start.

“Gavin’s been good,” Roberts said. “I think right now — and again, this is not talking to the guys in the, you know, player development — but it’s more of just getting him to stay upright, stay healthy, is the win for 2026.”