LOS ANGELES — Freddie Freeman hit a walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the Los Angeles Dodgers a 1-0 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Friday night at Dodger Stadium.
The win came in the opener of the Freeway Series between the crosstown rivals. Dodgers starter Roki Sasaki struck out 10 batters over seven scoreless innings, while Angels starter Reid Detmers also pitched effectively in a pitchers' duel that remained scoreless until the final frame.
Freeman led off the ninth against Angels reliever Kirby Yates and drove a 3-2 fastball into center field for his 20th career walk-off hit. The solo homer ended the game and handed the Dodgers their first victory in the season series against the Angels.
"I missed a 3-1 fastball and against Kirby, you gotta look up because of his splitter," Freeman said after the game. "So I was looking up, trying not to swing at the splitter and luckily, I was able to get the fastball."
Both teams combined for only six hits in the contest. The Dodgers recorded three hits, while the Angels managed three as well. Strong defensive plays, including a notable barehanded scoop by Dodgers infielder Miguel Rojas, helped preserve the shutout through eight innings.
The Angels fell to 24-40 on the season, while the Dodgers improved to 41-23. The result marked the continuation of Los Angeles dominance in recent matchups, with the Dodgers having outscored the Angels significantly in prior 2026 meetings.
Sasaki, making a strong start, limited the Angels' offense, including striking out Mike Trout. The bullpens for both sides kept the game tight until Freeman's at-bat.
The teams were scheduled to play again on Saturday and Sunday as part of the three-game series. As of early Sunday, no further updates on injuries or roster changes from the Friday contest were immediately available. Details on attendance and additional game statistics were confirmed through official MLB reports.
