Every time Japanese pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto takes the mound there is a real possibility that something special will happen. This Saturday in Chicago, the Dodgers ace came very close to making history again by flirting with a perfect game.

Yamamoto, who came one out short of pitching a no-hitter in Baltimore last September, received a home run from Tristan Peters of the Chicago White Sox in the bottom of the ninth inning for the home team's first hit.

Just minutes earlier, Yamamoto had lost the potential perfect game in the Dodgers' 7-1 victory. No Dodgers pitcher has had a perfect game since 1965 (Sandy Koufax).

With two outs in the eighth inning, Yamamoto dominated Chase Meidroth into a slow grounder straight to shortstop, but Mookie Betts couldn't field the ball. Although second baseman Santiago Espinal, who was nearby, tried to catch the ball in the air with time to make the play, he couldn't keep it and thus the perfect game was broken.

Yamamoto, with the great attitude that characterizes him, did not lose concentration and dominated Jacob González on a ground ball to second base with his 103rd pitch to keep the game without a hit or run after 8 innings.

However, his pitch count was high and the 27-year-old right-hander's 105th pitch was hit by Peters into the stands near the right field post for the White Sox's first hit - and first run.

On September 6, Yamamoto was one out away from a no-hitter against Baltimore before Jackson Holliday hit a dramatic home run, after which manager Dave Roberts retired his ace from the mound.

This Saturday, Yamamoto retired one more batter after the home run and then was relieved by Roberts after 8-1 extraordinary innings in which he struck out 7, without walking. He threw 109 pitches (74 strikes) en route to improving his record to 7-4 on the season.

Shohei Ohtani homered in the first inning and Max Muncy added two two-run homers to back up Yamamoto.

Signed by the Dodgers before the 2024 season, Yoshinobu Yamamoto cemented his place among the best pitchers in baseball by winning three games in the last World Series, including one in relief in the seventh and decisive game in Toronto when he came in relief after pitching the night before.

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