The Los Angeles Dodgers secured a 4-2 victory over the New York Mets on Friday, fueled by a strong pitching performance from Roki Sasaki and a late home run from Kyle Tucker.
Sasaki, pitching in New York City, put together a seven-inning gem, striking out nine batters and generating a career-best 21 whiffs. While his fastball velocity did not reach the 100 mph mark as it had in a previous start, he demonstrated dominance through effective pitching, allowing only three hits and two walks. His splitter proved to be a particularly effective weapon, used on over 40% of his pitches and generating whiffs on 15 of 24 swings.
After a modest start that included giving up a home run to Luis Roberts Jr. in the second inning, Sasaki found his rhythm. He struck out seven batters in an 11-batter sequence in the fourth inning. The Dodgers offense responded, with sacrifice flies from Miguel Rojas in the fourth and Shohei Ohtani in the seventh giving them the lead.
Kyle Tucker provided crucial insurance in the eighth inning, connecting for a two-run home run. This was Tucker's first home run since June 27 and helped seal the win for the Dodgers, marking their third consecutive victory.
The Dodgers, currently on a nine-game road trip, have won five of their last seven games. The team is evaluating potential postseason pitching options as the Aug. 3 trade deadline approaches, making Sasaki's consistent strong performances particularly encouraging. Manager Dave Roberts noted the importance of Sasaki's execution and ability to change eye level in his outing.
Prior to the game, the Dodgers had visited the White House on Thursday after concluding a series in Philadelphia. They are seeking to clinch another series win against the Mets on Saturday, with Yoshinobu Yamamoto scheduled to pitch against Mets rookie Nolan McLean.