Freddie Freeman singled home Ohtani in a two-run sixth for the Dodgers, who have won eight of 11 despite another adventurous evening for their beleaguered bullpen.
Yamamoto allowed only Patrick Bailey’s second-inning single and struck out seven, but he also walked six while laboring into the sixth inning. Michael Kopech and Blake Treinen then combined to walk four Giants while allowing a run in the seventh.
However, Anthony Banda threw a perfect eighth and Alex Vesia calmly finished for his fifth save.
Logan Webb (14-11) matched Yamamoto’s one-hit performance until the sixth, when the Dodgers put together three more hits and two runs.
The win boosted the Dodgers’ lead over San Diego (83-70) atop the NL West to three games, while a fifth loss in six games dropped the Giants (76-77) three games behind the New York Mets (79-74) for the final NL wild-card spot, with Arizona and Cincinnati also ahead of San Francisco.
After Jack Dreyer (3-2) finished the sixth for Yamamoto, the Dodgers finally got to Webb when Ohtani drilled a one-out double to right, sending Ben Rortvedt to third. Mookie Betts grounded to short, but Bailey couldn’t hold on to Willy Adames’ throw to the plate.
Freeman then drove in Ohtani, but Adames ended the rally with a spectacular play on Teoscar Hernández’s grounder.
The struggling Treinen walked Rafael Devers with the bases loaded, but struck out Adames and Matt Chapman to escape the jam.
23 — Total walks already issued by the Dodgers in the first four games of their homestand.
Clayton Kershaw (10-2, 3.53 ERA), who announced his impending retirement Thursday, makes the final regular-season home start of his remarkable career against San Francisco’s Robbie Ray (11-7, 3.50).
