LOS ANGELES (Interstat) — Yoshinobu Yamamoto pitched eight superb innings and the Los Angeles Dodgers erupted for nine runs in the first inning Saturday night, defeating the Los Angeles Angels 9-2 at Dodger Stadium.

Yamamoto allowed two hits, one earned run and struck out four in an efficient 2-hour, 24-minute game before a crowd of 53,448. He improved to 6-4 on the season, following his May 31 outing against Philadelphia in which he allowed no earned runs over 5 1/3 innings.

The Dodgers improved to 42-23, while the Angels fell to 24-41. The loss continued a difficult stretch for the Angels, who have lost four of their past five games and six of their past seven against the Dodgers, including Friday’s 1-0 defeat.

The game’s decisive moment came in the bottom of the first inning. Angels starter Jack Kochanowicz, who took the loss to fall to 2-5, faced 14 batters and allowed nine runs — eight earned — on six hits and one walk while recording only two outs.

Angels shortstop Zach Neto gave the Angels an early lead with a leadoff home run in the top of the first, his 11th of the season, a solo shot to left field. Neto finished 1-for-4 with the home run and an RBI.

The Dodgers answered immediately. Shohei Ohtani led off the bottom of the first with a single off Kochanowicz. Andy Pages followed with a two-run home run, his 14th, to left-center field, tying the score 2-2.

The inning continued with Freddie Freeman singling, Mookie Betts singling and Max Muncy reaching on a soft ground ball that deflected off third baseman Donovan Walton, loading the bases. Ryan Ward doubled sharply to center field, clearing the bases and giving the Dodgers a 4-2 lead. After a strikeout and a walk to Dalton Rushing, Alex Freeland reached on a fielder’s choice that saw shortstop Zach Neto commit a throwing error, allowing two more runs to score and making it 7-2.

Ohtani then capped the inning with a two-run home run, his 11th, a line drive to center field that scored Freeland and extended the lead to 9-2. Ohtani finished 2-for-4 with the home run and two RBIs.

The Dodgers’ bats went quiet after the first inning, with the Angels’ bullpen providing strong relief. Samy Natera Jr. threw two scoreless innings, allowing no hits and striking out three. Ryan Zeferjahn also contributed two scoreless innings with three strikeouts. Drew Pomeranz pitched a scoreless eighth inning, allowing one hit.

But the Angels’ offense could not solve Yamamoto. After Neto’s leadoff home run, the Angels managed only two more hits in the game. Wade Meckler singled on a bunt in the first inning and later scored on Oswald Peraza’s triple. Those were the Angels’ only hits against Yamamoto. The Angels stranded only two baserunners over the first eight innings.

The Angels’ final run came in the ninth inning off Dodgers reliever Jack Dreyer. Neto hit his second home run of the game, leading off the inning with a solo shot to left, making it 9-3. Dreyer then struck out Jose Siri and retired Wade Meckler on a lineout to shortstop to end the game.

For the Dodgers, Pages went 1-for-5 with the two-run homer and two RBIs. Ward drove in two runs with his double. Freeman and Muncy each had two hits. Betts and Ohtani added singles.

The Angels managed only three hits in the game, all from the top of the lineup. Neto had two home runs. Meckler had a bunt single. Peraza had a triple and an RBI.

The Angels’ pitching staff, beyond the first-inning disaster, settled down. Brent Suter pitched 2 2/3 innings in relief, allowing two runs on two hits with two strikeouts, but those runs came in the first inning. Natera and Zeferjahn combined for four hitless, scoreless innings.

The Dodgers’ defense did not commit an error, while the Angels committed two errors, both in the first inning — a throwing error by Neto and a fielding error by Walton.

The game was the second of a four-game Freeway Series, with the Angels and Dodgers meeting again Sunday. The Dodgers have won the first two games of the series, following a 1-0 victory Friday. The Dodgers have now won five consecutive games against the Angels overall, dating to last season.

Yamamoto’s performance was his second consecutive quality start. He threw 80 pitches, 56 for strikes, and did not allow a hit after the first inning. He retired 15 of the final 16 batters he faced, with only a second-inning single by Muncy breaking the stretch.

The Angels will look to avoid a sweep in Sunday’s series finale. Right-hander Chase Silseth is scheduled to start for the Angels against Dodgers left-hander Justin Wrobleski.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Los Angeles Dodgers 7, Los Angeles Angels 5. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Los Angeles Dodgers with a 77.40 percent probability to win. Los Angeles Dodgers had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of minus 1.5. The total score of 11 went under the over/under line of 8.5.