Yoshinobu Yamamoto carries no-hit bid into 9th as Dodgers beat White Sox 7-1

CHICAGO (AP) — Yoshinobu Yamamoto carried a no-hit bid into the ninth inning, sending the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 7-1 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Saturday.

Yamamoto retired his first 23 batters before Chase Meidroth reached on a two-out error on shortstop Mookie Betts in the eighth. Jacob Gonzalez then bounced to second, ending the inning.

But Tristan Peters hit a leadoff drive for the White Sox in the ninth. Peters drove a 96.6 mph fastball deep to right for his third homer.

After Edgar Quero flied out to center, Yamamoto (7-4) was replaced by Alex Vesia. The Japanese right-hander received a standing ovation from the sellout crowd of 37,832 as he departed the mound.

The 27-year-old Yamamoto struck out seven in his fourth consecutive victory. He threw 109 pitches, 74 for strikes.

Max Muncy homered twice and drove in four runs for the Dodgers, who bounced back nicely after losing 8-2 in the series opener Friday night. Shohei Ohtani hit a leadoff homer in his return to the lineup after missing a game because of inflammation in his left knee.

Chicago had won eight consecutive home games for the first time since August 2020. Sean Burke (3-4) was charged with four runs and six hits in four innings.

Ohtani connected on a 1-0 fastball from Burke in the first. The 409-foot drive to right had an exit velocity of 109.6 mph.

It was Ohtani’s fifth leadoff homer of the season and No. 29 for his career.

Betts singled with one out in the first, and Muncy hit a two-run shot to right-center for his 15th homer. Muncy tacked on another two-run drive in the eighth.

Emmet Sheehan (3-3, 4.70 ERA) starts for the Dodgers on Sunday in the series finale. Left-hander Bryan Hudson (3-2, 2.25 ERA) takes the mound for the White Sox as an opener.

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

Chicago White Sox shortstop Colson Montgomery (12) forces Los Angeles Dodgers' Andy Pages out and throws to complete a double play during the fourth inning of a baseball game , Saturday, June 13, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Matt Marton)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Max Muncy (13) hits a two-run home run 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' Max Muncy (13) celebrates with Mookie Betts (50) after they scored on Muncy's two-run home run 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' Max Muncy (13) has sunflower seeds thrown on him by teammates after he hit a two-run home run 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 (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)

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — As Devin Vassell reflected on what could have been for the San Antonio Spurs, reality loudly interrupted his thoughts.

The sounds of the New York Knicks and their fans celebrating the team's first NBA championship since 1973 spilled into the recesses of the Frost Bank Center, drowning out Vassell's postgame interview.

“Our goal was to win, obviously," Vassell said. "We don’t want a participation trophy to where we just got here; we wanted to win.”

New York point guard Jalen Brunson stymied that dream, scoring 45 points to lead New York to a 94-90 victory on Saturday night as the Knicks clinched the series 4-1.

The Spurs built double-digit leads in the first quarter of every game of the finals, but the Knicks rallied to win all but Game 3.

That San Antonio was even in the conversation was surprising to most.

“Shout out to the Spurs, they are the real deal,” New York center Karl-Anthony Towns said.

The Spurs exceeded preseason expectations by toppling 2024 champion Oklahoma City to win the Western Conference with a youthful roster led by 22-year-old superstar Victor Wembanyama.

San Antonio won 62 games to tie for the second-most victories in franchise history just two seasons after a second straight 22-win season.

There was much for the Spurs to celebrate this season, just not on Saturday night.

"Yeah, it’s a little early to go there," San Antonio coach Mitch Johnson said.

The Spurs were seeking their sixth league championship and first since 2014 after missing the postseason for six straight seasons.

The lack of postseason success hurt San Antonio in the closing minutes of each loss as New York took advantage of every mistake to rally.

“The margin of error is very thin,” Wembanyama said. “Our domination stats are absolute. We absolutely dominated for most of the series. But our errors, our mistakes, are punished so hard that we can’t have ups and downs like this.”

Along with Wembanyama, the Spurs have 21-year-old Stephon Castle and 20-year-old Dylan Harper to build around and now they have the anger and frustration of what might have been to add to it.

“I hope they take the same thing that we’ve taken from our success,” Johnson said. “I hope it leads to them be hungrier than they’ve ever been, and I hope it leads them to be more motivated than they’ve ever been, and hopefully that leads them to be more — yeah, just to continue to improve in every facet."

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

San Antonio Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson yells during the first half of Game 5 of the NBA Finals basketball series against the New York Knicks, Saturday, June 13, 2026, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

San Antonio Spurs guard Devin Vassell drives as New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson (23) defends during the second half of Game 5 of the NBA Finals basketball series, Saturday, June 13, 2026, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)