Cubs Fall Short to Dodgers in Game 1 of the Tokyo Series
The Chicago Cubs faced off against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 1 of the Tokyo Series on Tuesday morning in Japan, but the Cubs ultimately came up short, losing to the defending World Champions 4-1. With the loss, Chicago’s record stands at 0-1, while the Dodgers improve to 1-0.
The game started off on a promising note for the Cubs, who took an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning. Catcher Miguel Amaya helped get the offense going with a double, driving in the lone run of the game for Chicago. However, the Cubs’ bullpen faltered in the fifth inning, allowing three runs (two earned) and handing the lead back to the Dodgers.
Despite the loss, it was a standout performance by Cubs starting pitcher Shota Imanaga, who made his first career start in his home country of Japan. The 31-year-old lefty had an impressive outing, throwing four scoreless innings and allowing no hits while striking out two. Imanaga’s performance was historic, as he became the first pitcher in baseball history to have a start of exactly four innings with no hits allowed in a team’s first game of the season, according to @JayHayKid of Underdog Fantasy.
Imanaga, who is coming off a stellar 2024 season where he posted a 15-3 record with a 2.91 ERA, was a bright spot in an otherwise tough game for the Cubs. His 173.1 innings and 174 strikeouts last year showed his potential, and his strong start in the Tokyo Series only added to the excitement for Cubs fans.
On the other side, it was a solid performance by the Dodgers, highlighted by Shohei Ohtani, who went 2-for-5 with two runs scored. Pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto earned the win for Los Angeles, tossing five solid innings to keep the Cubs’ offense in check.
In addition to Imanaga, Cubs outfielder Seiya Suzuki was also playing in front of his home crowd in Japan, but he was unable to capitalize on the moment, going 0-for-4 in the loss.
The two teams will meet again on Wednesday, with first pitch set for 6:10 a.m. ET. The Cubs will look to bounce back and even the series before heading into Game 3. Despite the defeat, the historic performance by Imanaga and the international flavor of the game made the matchup one to remember for baseball fans around the world.