Tue Aug 05 03:30:00 UTC 2025: **Dodgers Beat Rays 3-0, Clinch Winning Road Trip Amid Heat and Injury**
**TAMPA, FL** – The Los Angeles Dodgers capped off a grueling 10-day road trip with a 3-0 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday, securing a winning record despite battling scorching heat and inconsistent offense.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto delivered a stellar performance, pitching 5 2/3 scoreless innings with six strikeouts. The Dodgers’ bullpen held the lead, thanks to RBI singles from Andy Pages and Freddie Freeman, along with a sacrifice fly from Mookie Betts.
“It was tough,” said manager Dave Roberts, acknowledging the challenges of playing in hot conditions after a long road trip. “You try not to talk about it too much…But it was tough, especially on the back end of a 10-day road trip.”
While the win was a positive note, an injury to Tommy Edman cast a shadow over the game. Edman sprained his right ankle while running to first base in the fifth inning and is likely headed to the injured list.
Yamamoto’s strong outing continued his recent impressive streak, lowering his ERA to 1.93 over his last seven starts. He emphasized the importance of precision and execution when run support is limited, stating, “When it’s a close game, I try to be fine and more precise, and execute my pitches.”
The Dodgers’ offense broke an 18-inning scoreless drought when Pages drove in a run in the sixth inning. Freeman added another RBI in the seventh, and Betts contributed a sacrifice fly in the ninth to extend the lead.
Despite offensive inconsistency this month, Freeman highlighted the importance of winning close games: “There’s a lot of good things that happened today…As much as we want to hit home runs every time, score 10 runs, [we] got to win games like this.”
Edman’s injury could pave the way for top prospect Alex Freeland to receive a longer opportunity in the major leagues, and allow for the return of Max Muncy from injury. Edman, who’s been dealing with ankle discomfort since returning from an IL stint in May, expressed his frustration: “It’s a bummer…It’s tough to do that when I don’t feel I have the stability I need.”
First Piper 