Japanese pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto dominated the New York Yankees in his World Series debut as his Los Angeles Dodgers team closed out a 4-2 victory to lead the best-of-seven series 2-0.

The hosts also thrilled the raucous Dodger Stadium crowd with three home runs and survived a final Yankees rally as the National League champions took control of the “Fall Classic.”

In contrast to the scoreless first half of game one, both teams were on the board early as the Dodgers’ Tommy Edman and the Yankees’ Juan Soto traded solo home runs.

But the hosts then pulled off a home run derby of their own in the third inning, with Teoscar Hernandez and Friday’s walk-off hero Freddie Freeman both going deep to give the Dodgers a 4-1 lead.

Yamamoto, who signed a 12-year contract worth $325 million (£251 million) – a Major League Baseball record for a pitcher – when he joined the Dodgers of the Japanese league last December, pitched in the seventh inning, with Soto’s homer the only hit he allowed.

The Yankees’ offense, which featured star hitter Aaron Judge striking out three batters, fared no better against the bullpen until they rallied in the ninth inning.

The visitors found themselves in the last-chance saloon when Soto led off with a single, advanced to second on a wild pitch and was driven in by Giancarlo Stanton to make it 4-2.

Jazz Chisholm Jr. singled and Anthony Rizzo was hit by a pitch to load the bases, but Anthony Volpe struck out and, with the Yankees down to their final out, pinch-hitter Jose Trevino flew to center field.

Of bigger concern for the Dodgers was when dedicated hitter Shohei Ohtani left the field in some pain after injuring his left shoulder on a botched stolen base attempt in the seventh inning.

The series now moves to New York, with game three on Monday night at Yankee Stadium.