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Dodgers look to add to early success in matchup vs. Tigers

MLB: Los Angeles Dodgers at Chicago CubsMar 18, 2025; Bunkyo, Tokyo, JPN; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto (18) throws a pitch against the Chicago Cubs during the first inning during the Tokyo Series at Tokyo Dome. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Already with three victories this season, the Los Angeles Dodgers will be out for more success Friday night against the visiting Detroit Tigers as they start their way toward National League history.

The Dodgers are aiming for their 15th consecutive winning season in 2025 in an accomplishment that would tie the National League record set by the Pittsburgh Pirates (1913), St. Louis Cardinals (1953, 2022) and Atlanta Braves (2005).

Los Angeles right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto (1-0, 1.80 ERA) will make his second start of the season after he was solid in his season debut last week at Japan against the Chicago Cubs.

In the 2025 MLB opener during the Tokyo Series, Yamamoto gave up one run on three hits over five innings with four strikeouts and a walk. Back in L.A., he is trying to improve on his debut MLB season in 2024, when he went 7-2 with a 3.00 ERA in 18 starts.

Yamamoto will face the Tigers for the first time.

Yamamoto struggled in his Dodgers debut last year but still had a strong season, even while working through a shoulder injury. His solid start in Japan shows he is ahead of the curve in 2025.

“What I learned about Yoshinobu was he’s very resilient,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “I think coming back after that (opening) start (last season) and pitching the way he did, pitching through the postseason the way he did, I just think these Japanese superstars, they’re built differently.”

The NL leaders in home runs last season, Los Angeles had three on Thursday — from Shohei Ohtani, Teoscar Hernandez and Tommy Edman. All three players joined the club last season.

The Dodgers will face a familiar pitcher on Friday when right-hander Jack Flaherty (13-7, 3.17 ERA last season) takes the mound for the Tigers. Detroit sent Flaherty to Los Angeles at the trade deadline last year, and he was a key contributor on the way to the Dodgers’ World Series title.

Flaherty went 6-2 with a 3.58 ERA down the stretch for Los Angeles, then started in three of the team’s five playoff victories. He was not offered a contract to return to the Dodgers before the Tigers brought him back.

“It will be a different situation from the last time I was there,” Flaherty said in anticipation of his first start of the season. “It will be fun to compete against these guys. It’s the biggest thing when you compete against guys who are really good.

“It’s weird to end it there and start (2025) there. Everything is going to go on opening weekend.”

Flaherty, a Los Angeles-area native, has seven career starts against the Dodgers, going 1-2 with a 2.75 ERA, including 57 strikeouts in 39 1/3 innings.

The Tigers’ Spencer Torkelson had a strong season opener Thursday with a home run, four walks and two runs. Detroit had two runners aboard with one out in the ninth inning but couldn’t score the tying or go-ahead run.

After he signed with Detroit on Monday, Manuel Margot batted fifth in the season opener and had two hits while driving in a run with a sacrifice fly. Outfield options Parker Meadows, Matt Vierling, Wenceel Perez are out with injuries.

Dodgers utility man Enrique Hernandez missed Thursday’s game — and a likely start against a left-hander — because of an illness.

–Field Level Media

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Behind Mark Vientos' clutch hit, Mets edge Twins, snap 12-game skid

MLB: Minnesota Twins at New York MetsApr 22, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez (4) watches his RBI double against the Minnesota Twins during the fourth inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Mark Vientos redeemed himself for an earlier baserunning miscue by delivering the tiebreaking single in the eighth inning, and the host New York Mets snapped a 12-game losing streak with a 3-2 win over the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday.

The losing streak was the longest for the Mets since a 12-game skid from Aug. 10-23, 2002.

However, the much-needed victory may have been costly for New York, which lost shortstop Francisco Lindor due to left calf tightness after he scored from first on Francisco Alvarez’s double in the fourth inning.

Lindor, who was 2-for-2 with an RBI infield single in the first, was injured the same night Juan Soto returned from a 15-game absence caused by a strained right calf. The Mets won their first three games after Soto was injured on April 3 before beginning their losing streak.

Soto went 1-for-3 with a walk but was picked off for the second out of the eighth following his single. Brett Baty and Alvarez kept the inning afloat by drawing walks against Taylor Rogers (0-1) and Justin Topa, respectively, before Vientos’ bloop single to right scored Baty.

Vientos was thrown out at home by several feet for the final out of the sixth after running through third base coach Tim Leiper’s stop sign on Marcus Semien’s double.

Luke Weaver (2-0) threw the final 1 1/3 innings for the Mets. The right-hander, who also was the winning pitcher in New York’s previous victory on April 7, got Luke Keaschall to pop up with the bases loaded to end the top of the eighth. He allowed Brooks Lee’s two-out single in the ninth before striking out Byron Buxton to end the game.

Victor Caratini lofted a game-tying sacrifice fly in the fourth for the Twins, who have lost five of their past six. Buxton knotted the game again with a solo homer in the sixth.

Mets starter Clay Holmes gave up two runs on five hits and one walk while striking out three over seven innings. Twins starter Connor Prielipp allowed two runs on four hits and no walks while fanning six in his major league debut.

–Field Level Media

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Teen's match-winner keeps New England rolling, Atlanta sliding

MLS: New England Revolution at Atlanta United FCApr 22, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; New England Revolution defender Will Sands (23) and Atlanta United midfielder Saba Lobjanidze (11) collide while fighting for the ball during the first half at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Peyton Miller’s 78th-minute goal was the match-winner as the visiting New England Revolution defeated Atlanta United, 2-1, on Wednesday night.

Carles Gil assisted on both goals for the Revolution (5-3-0, 15 points), who extended their winning streak to four matches. They also snapped a six-match road losing streak dating back to 2025.

Atlanta (1-7-1, 4 points) dropped its fourth league match in a row and has gone winless in its last five MLS matches (0-4-1).

The 18-year-old Miller scored his team-high third goal of the season on a cross from Gil from the left side of the scoring area. The United States youth international chipped it over Atlanta goalkeeper Lucas Hoyos to make it 2-1 Revs.

The goal came shortly after Will Sands scored a 73rd-minute equalizer. Gil’s corner kick met Sands’ head and, with Hoyos off his line, it sailed into the net to make it 1-1. It was Sands’ first career goal.

Atlanta scored the match’s first goal after the Revs’ Alhassan Yusuf had his would-be opener disallowed on an offside call.

After Pedro Amador got on the end of a cross from Alexey Miranchuk, he fed it to Saba Lobjanidze in front of the goal. Revs goalkeeper Matt Turner parried away Lobjanidze’s point-blank attempt before Fafa Picault had a simple finish on the rebound to make it 1-0. It was Picault’s second goal with Atlanta United across all competitions.

Atlanta had an opportunity to equalize in second-half stoppage time, but Matt Turner stopped Emmanuel Latte Lath’s volleyed attempt.

Turner ended the evening with eight saves. Hoyos was credited with two saves for Atlanta.

With the loss, Atlanta United’s record in their last 13 matches at Mercedes-Benz Stadium fell to 1-6-6.

Wednesday marked New England’s first road win since a 2-1 victory over the Columbus Crew on August 23, 2025.

–Field Level Media

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DC United ends scoring drought, earns 4-4 draw with Red Bulls

MLS: D.C. United at Red Bull New YorkApr 22, 2026; Harrison, New Jersey, USA; Red Bull New York forward Jorge Ruvalcaba (11) reacts after scoring a goal against D.C. United during the second half at Sports Illustrated Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images

Tai Baribo scored his third goal in the 80th minute as D.C. United ended a long scoring drought and escaped with a 4-4 draw in an adrenaline-fueled match against the New York Red Bulls on Wednesday night in Harrison, N.J.

Jackson Hopkins added a goal and an assist for D.C. United (2-4-3, 9 points), who rallied from a two-goal deficit. D.C. has not won in its last five games, going 0-2-3 over that stretch.

The offensive splurge came from a D.C. team that entered the match with an MLS-low four goals. Baribo has now scored six of the team’s eight goals this season.

Jorge Ruvalcaba scored two spectacular goals in the second half for struggling New York (3-3-3, 12 points), which has won only one of its last seven MLS matches.

Ronald Donkor added a goal and two assists and Julian Hall scored his team-high sixth goal for the Red Bulls, who have surrendered 18 goals in their last five matches.

New York struck first in the 15th minute with a precise pair of passes by Adri Mehmeti and Donkor, which set up Hall for a low right-footed shot past on-rushing D.C. keeper Sean Johnson (one save).

Just six minutes later, the Red Bulls took advantage of a lack of pressure from the D.C. defense as a cross by 17-year-old Matthew Dos Santos was deflected by D.C. defender Aaron Herrera.

The ball found Donkor in the center of the box and he fired a right-footed shot to the bottom left corner for a 2-0 lead.

D.C. answered in the 37th minute in transition as Hopkins crossed from the right side to Baribo in the middle of the box. With a sliding right-footed shot, Baribo beat New York keeper Ethan Horvath (one save).

New York countered in the 52nd minute in transition as Emil Forsberg found Ruvalcaba sprinting down the left wing. Ruvalcaba beat one defender then watched another slide past before rifling a tough-angle shot into the top right corner for a 3-1 lead.

But D.C. answered, taking advantage of the tendency of the back line of New York to play too far forward. D.C.’s Joao Peglow won two balls near midfield and sent them forward for breakaway goals five minutes apart.

Hopkins scored the first to make it 3-2 and Baribo followed in the 59th minute to tie it up.

After Ruvalcaba scored again in transition in the 71st minute, Baribo answered from just in front of the goal line with his equalizer on a feed from Silvan Hefti, who had two assists in the match.

In stoppage time, D.C.’s Jacob Murrell appeared to score a transition goal but was called for a foul, shoving a defender out of his way before flicking in a shot with his left foot.

–Field Level Media

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