Freddie Freeman, Dodgers display depth in big inning, beat Rockies on opening day

On the primary day of the season, Kyle Freeland turned the Dodgers’ first sufferer.

For 3 innings Friday afternoon, the Colorado Rockies left-hander was cruising by way of his begin in opposition to the Dodgers’ star-studded lineup.

He had six strikeouts. He stranded every of the 4 runners who reached base. Regardless of a single from Will Smith and a double from Chris Taylor within the prime of the fourth, Freeland was one strike away from getting by way of one other inning unscathed.

However then the Dodgers’ offense awoke from its winter slumber, roaring to life for the primary time this season, and what’s sure to not be the final.

Gavin Lux despatched a two-run single up the center to erase the Rockies’ two-run lead. Mookie Betts put the Dodgers in entrance with an RBI double within the subsequent at-bat, scoring a hustling Lux all the best way from first.

And even after Freddie Freeman’s stroll chased Freeland from the sport, the pitcher was charged with two extra runs when reliever Tyler Kinley gave up an RBI single to Trea Turner earlier than throwing a run-scoring wild pitch.

The five-run explosion sparked a 5-3 opening-day win for the Dodgers in entrance of a sold-out crowd of 48,627 at Coors Subject. It additionally provided a glimpse of how good the staff’s lineup might be — a 15-minute sequence that flashed its tantalizing potential.

“We’re so good at grinding at-bats out and simply carrying on groups’ pitchers,” Lux stated.

Added supervisor Dave Roberts: “It’s a bit microcosm of what we are able to do.”

The Dodgers are getting into this season with sky-high expectations. They’re a staff that, regardless of profitable a World Collection simply 18 months in the past, nonetheless has “one thing to show,” in Roberts’ phrases.

Such ambitions have been pushed largely by the expertise of their lineup, which included seven All-Stars and three former most beneficial gamers.

All spring, they acknowledged how harmful they might be, imagining the affect of Freeman’s free-agent signing, higher well being from Betts, Cody Bellinger and Max Muncy, and the return of just about each different key piece from a bunch that ranked fourth in scoring final yr.

Roberts went so far as guaranteeing the Dodgers would win the World Collection.

“For me to place it on the market and imagine that that is what’s going to occur, I feel it’s very highly effective,” Roberts stated this week. “It raises the bar for myself and everybody that’s part of the Dodgers.”

In Recreation No. 1, they cleared the bar with ease.

After the Rockies scored twice on three two-strike hits within the second, Walker Buehler discovered a groove in his first opening-day begin, finishing a five-inning, five-strikeout outing with out yielding one other run.

The Dodgers’ Walker Buehler gave up two runs in 5 innings and earned the win in his first opening-day begin.

(David Zalubowski / Related Press)

The Dodgers’ bullpen was hardly examined the remainder of the best way. Brusdar Graterol stranded a stroll within the sixth. Blake Treinen and Daniel Hudson every posted a scoreless inning. New nearer Craig Kimbrel gave up a run within the ninth, on an RBI double to Charlie Blackmon, earlier than hanging out Kris Bryant to earn his first Dodgers save

And regardless that they didn’t add to their lead after the fourth inning, the Dodgers completed the day with manufacturing from nearly all elements of the lineup.

Seven gamers recorded a success, with Bellinger and Justin Turner the one exceptions. Taylor and Smith reached twice, whereas Freeman picked up his first Dodgers hit whereas additionally getting aboard on a stroll and being hit by a pitch. And in a reminder of the batting order’s depth, Lux reached base thrice from the No. 9 spot, sandwiching a few walks round his game-tying hit.

“They have been actually high quality [at-bats] up and down [the lineup],” Roberts stated. “We obtained some huge hits after we wanted to.”

That’s what the Dodgers hope to make their id. They imagine they’re able to carrying out pitching staffs, stringing collectively disturbing at-bats and hanging crooked numbers on the board with regularity.

“We have been in a position to shift the momentum there,” Taylor stated of the fourth inning. “Make the most of some errors.”

Second baseman Gavin Lux, proper, and third baseman Max Muncy are in a joyful temper after the Dodgers’ win. Lux reached base thrice from the No. 9 spot.

(David Zalubowski / Related Press)

Advertisement

Although that was the one time all of it got here to fruition Friday, it nonetheless was sufficient to begin the season with a win — and supply a preview of the potential fireworks to return from their lineup.

“Taking walks, working counts, chasing Freeland after we did,” Roberts stated. “Actually optimistic issues.”

He added: “If we are able to do this, with the hit device our guys have 1 by way of 9 … it needs to be disturbing each inning that you just play our membership.”