Watch: Chicago Cubs Brutal Fifth Inning Leads to Opening Day Loss to Dodgers

The Chicago Cubs gave one away the Los Angeles Dodgers in the fifth inning.

Mar 8, 2025; Mesa, Arizona, USA; Chicago Cubs infielder Jon Berti (5) reacts to players returning to the dugout in the seventh inning of a spring training game against the Seattle Mariners at Sloan Park. | Allan Henry-Imagn Images

The Chicago Cubs took on on the Los Angeles Dodgers in Tokyo early Tuesday morning in the first of a two-game set to kick off the regular season, a game which ended in a 4-1 loss for the Cubs.

Though Chicago struck first in the bottom of the second inning with a huge double from Miguel Amaya to bring Dansby Swanson to the plate, things got a bit ugly in the top of the fifth inning.

Shota Imanaga was pulled from the game after four hitless innings which included two strikeouts but a career-high four walks. After walking just three total hitters in the month of April last year, seeing Imanaga struggle with command is highly unusual.

In relief, 25-year-old Ben Brown entered the game and struggled. After allowing two runners, a shot to left field from Tommy Edman tied the game up:

Tommy Edman ties up the ballgame! #TokyoSeries pic.twitter.com/o6nwIkVLrq

— MLB (@MLB) March 18, 2025

Moments later, it looked like the Cubs had a great chance to turn a double play and get out of the inning with limited damage, but a throwing error from second baseman Jon Berti on the turn led to another run to give the Dodgers their first lead of the night:

Jon Berti throws the ball away and the Dodgers take the lead! pic.twitter.com/5oBKIjwtEN

— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) March 18, 2025

Brown would give up another hit to Los Angeles catcher Will Smith to put the Dodgers up 3-1 and leave Chicago in a bit of a hole to climb out of the rest of the day in Tokyo:

Will Smith adds on for the @Dodgers 😤 #TokyoSeries pic.twitter.com/Tm8u4cyjBB

— MLB (@MLB) March 18, 2025

Brown would return to action in the sixth inning after the Cubs were unable to answer in the bottom half and throw a scoreless inning, but the damage was already done.

For the rest of the game, the Cubs bats went quiet, mustering just one baserunner via a hit by pitch and unable to claw their way back as the Dodgers bullpen carved their way through the lineup.

It's a long season and Chicago is facing off against the best team in baseball, but it's an unfortunate way to begin and even more frustrating that the bulk of the opposing offense came within one tough inning.

The Cubs will get another shot tomorrow morning again at the same time - 5:10 a.m. CST - to avenge the defeat and at least leave Japan with one victory. They knew it was never going to be easy against the world champs, but starting the season with two consecutive losses is not the way anyone wants to win.

Justin Steele will take on Roki Sasaki in the Wednesday pitching matchup.