CHICAGO (AP) — Yoshinobu Yamamoto was so close. Again.
Yamamoto sailed into the ninth inning with a no-hit bid for the Los Angeles Dodgers, but Tristan Peters hit a leadoff homer for the Chicago White Sox. The Japanese right-hander had to settle for a dominant performance in a 7-1 victory on Saturday.
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Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto of Japan, looks on after Chicago White Sox' Tristan Peters hit a home run during the ninth inning of a baseball game, Saturday, June 13, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Matt Marton)
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto (18) delivers during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox, Saturday, June 13, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Matt Marton)
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto, of Japan, delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox, Saturday, June 13, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Matt Marton)
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto of Japan, is high-fived by teammates after he was relieved during the ninth inning of a baseball game against theChicago White Sox, Saturday, June 13, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Matt Marton)
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto, of Japan, delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox, Saturday, June 13, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Matt Marton)
The 27-year-old Yamamoto also carried a no-hitter into the ninth at Baltimore on Sept. 6. He surrendered a solo homer to Jackson Holliday with two out, and Los Angeles went on to a frustrating 4-3 loss.
This time, Alex Vesia closed it out for the Dodgers. But Yamamoto was left to wonder about another close call.
“What I did, I didn't make it, complete it, because of the ninth inning, the no-hitter,” Yamamoto said through a translator. “But how I was pitching, I was pretty satisfied.”
Yamamoto, who was the World Series MVP when the Dodgers won their second consecutive championship, improved to 4-0 with a sparkling 0.94 in his last four starts. He has surrendered 14 hits and struck out 24 in 28 2/3 innings during his win streak.
If he keeps pitching like he has been, there might be more no-hit opportunities on the horizon.
“He can attack the plate on both sides from ball to strike probably better than anybody I’ve ever seen,” Dodgers pitching coach Mark Prior said.
Yamamoto retired his last 22 batters while pitching eight innings in a 9-2 win against the Angels in his previous start. Then he retired his first 23 batters against Chicago.
The streak — and Yamamoto's bid for a perfect game — ended when shortstop Mookie Betts mishandled Chase Meidroth's two-out grounder in the eighth inning for an error.
“I’m not making any excuses. I should have made the play,” Betts said.
Jacob Gonzalez bounced to second for the final out in the eighth, but Peters hit a drive to right on a 96.6 mph fastball from Yamamoto. It was Peters' third homer of the season.
Yamamoto departed after Edgar Quero flied to center for the first out in the ninth. He was saluted with a standing ovation from the sellout crowd of 37,832 as he made his way off the field.
“One of the best outings we’ve seen from an opponent this year,” White Sox manager Will Venable said. “The stuff was outstanding. Lived on the edges. We didn’t have a ton to hit.”
Yamamoto struck out seven. He threw a season-high 109 pitches, 74 for strikes.
Before the ninth inning, Chase Meidroth had the best chance for a hit for the White Sox. He had a liner hook just foul before he struck out swinging for the final out of the fifth.
There was a short delay before the bottom of the sixth while the grounds crew worked on the area around the pitching rubber on the mound. But Yamamoto had no issues when the game resumed, striking out Gonzalez on a full-count cutter before Peters bounced to first and Quero fouled out to left.
“He was in the zone. He kept it out of the middle. I mean, kept them off balance,” Betts said. “I mean that's just Yoshi being Yoshi, you know. I’m glad he’s on our team.”
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Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto of Japan, looks on after Chicago White Sox' Tristan Peters hit a home run during the ninth inning of a baseball game, Saturday, June 13, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Matt Marton)
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto (18) delivers during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox, Saturday, June 13, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Matt Marton)
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto, of Japan, delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox, Saturday, June 13, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Matt Marton)
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto of Japan, is high-fived by teammates after he was relieved during the ninth inning of a baseball game against theChicago White Sox, Saturday, June 13, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Matt Marton)
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto, of Japan, delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox, Saturday, June 13, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Matt Marton)
