TOKYO >> Yoshinobu Yamamoto threw five strong innings, Shohei Ohtani had two hits and scored twice, and the defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Chicago Cubs 4-1 on Tuesday in Major League Baseball’s season opener at the Tokyo Dome.

Playing in front of their home country, Yamamoto and Cubs lefty Shota Imanaga both pitched well in the first all-Japanese starting pitching matchup on opening day in MLB history. Imanaga threw four scoreless innings, allowing no hits but walking four.

The Dodgers jumped on Cubs reliever Ben Brown (0-1) in the fifth, scoring three runs, partly because of a throwing error by second baseman Jon Berti. Tommy Edman and Will Smith had RBI singles.

Ohtani was part of the rally, delivering a hard-hit single through the right side. He finished 2 for 5 at the plate, including a double to lead off the ninth, eventually scoring another run.

Yamamoto (1-0) gave up one run on three hits and a walk, striking out four. Tanner Scott earned his first save.

Chicago’s Miguel Amaya drove in Dansby Swanson with a two-out double that made it 1-0 in the second. The Cubs didn’t have a hit after the third.

Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman was scratched before the game because of left rib discomfort. Shortstop Mookie Betts will miss both games in Japan because of an illness.

Rangers sign Corbin

The Texas Rangers signed free-agent left-hander Patrick Corbin to a one-year contract, plugging a durable veteran into their injury-addled starting rotation.

Corbin, who’ll enter his 13th major league season, struggled through most of his six-year, $140 million contract with the Washington Nationals, but he’s a two-time All-Star who is the only pitcher in baseball who made 31 or more starts in every full season since 2017.

The Rangers placed right-hander Jon Gray on the 60-day injured list to make room on the 40-man roster for Corbin.

Giants sell 10%

The San Francisco Giants, one of Major League Baseball’s most successful franchises, have sold about 10% of the team to private equity group Sixth Street.

The team will use the cash to help pay for upgrades to the franchise’s 25-year-old stadium and other facilities, as well as the Mission Rock real estate development adjacent to the ballpark.

Details of the purchase, which was approved by MLB on Monday, were not disclosed. But the team was last valued at $3.8 billion by Forbes.

Brewers move Ortiz

Milwaukee infielder Joey Ortiz will move over from third base to shortstop as the Brewers alter their infield following Willy Adames’ departure.

One of the Brewers’ main concerns this spring was how to handle the shortstop position as they adapt to life without Adames, who signed a seven-year, $182 million contract with the San Francisco Giants in the offseason.

Young Skenes to start

Pittsburgh right-hander Paul Skenes, the reigning National League Rookie of the Year award winner, will be the youngest pitcher in 11 years to start a season opener when he takes the mound for the Pirates next week.