Dodger Stadium roared at the sound of contact, cheers growing louder as Kyle Tucker’s single made it through the right side of the field and Alex Freeland trotted home to finally break a persistent tie.
In the Dodgers’ 5-4 win, Freeland scored the go-ahead run in the eighth inning, jump-started the Dodgers’ offense in the third inning, and showed off his arm strength in a pair of momentum-changing plays.
The Dodgers fell behind 1-0 in the second inning, but the damage could have been worse. With two runners on and two outs, the Diamondbacks’ Alek Thomas lined a double off Dodgers starting pitcher Emmet Sheehan, into the right-field corner.
One run was guaranteed Tucker chased down the ball. Then he turned and fired to second, starting a smooth relay through Freeland to throw out Pavin Smith at home to end the inning.
The next inning, after Sheehan surrendered a solo homer to Ketel Marte, Freeland showed off his bat.
Coming off a middling spring training from a surface-level results perspective, Freeland immediately fell into a two-strike count in his first at-bat of the season.
Then he displayed the plate discipline that helped him make the opening day roster.
Freeland worked the count back even and then crushed an inside fastball over the right-field fence to end the Dodgers’ scoreless stretch.
Two batters later, Mookie Betts followed with a three-run homer to put the Dodgers up 4-2.
In the fourth, the Diamondbacks tacked on two more runs, but again fell prey to a Tucker-to-Freeland relay.
The Diamondbacks again had two runners on for Thomas, and the Dodgers made a pitching change. It didn’t make a difference. Against left-hander Jack Dreyer, Thomas again hit a line drive into the right-field corner.
This time, two runs scored easily, tying the score. But Tucker and Freeland teamed up to third to get Thomas as he tried to stretch his hit into a triple. Dreyer then got out of the inning with a strikeout.
With those fourth-inning runs charged to Sheehan, he wrapped up his season debut with four earned runs and five hits in 3⅓ innings. His average fastball velocity was down 1.6 mph compared to last season, according to Statcast.
In the eighth inning, Freeland lined a double into center field to give the top of the Dodger’s batting order a runner in scoring position with the score still tied 4-4.
Shohei Ohtani grounded out to second base to move Freeland to third. Then Tucker sent him home to give the Dodgers the lead.
That set up closer Edwin Díaz to make his Dodgers debut. His infamous walk-in music, Timmy Trumpet’s “Narco,” was accompanied by a light show and a live trumpet performance. He recorded the save.
Vesia makes his season debut
Left-hander Alex Vesia received a loud ovation as he ran to the mound from the bullpen in the seventh inning. He pitched for the first time in the regular season since his newborn daughter died in October.
Dodgers relievers honored Vesia and his family during the World Series by writing his number on their caps.
On Friday, Vesia threw a scoreless inning. And as he walked off the field, he appeared to acknowledge the crowd and put his hand over his heart.
Stewart throws in batting practice
Right-hander Brock Stewart (shoulder surgery recovery) threw the first live batting practice session of his rehab progression Friday. He estimated he threw 18 pitches.
“Command hasn’t been perfect with the bullpens, but it’s coming around,” Stewart said. “And today it was another step in the right direction with the command. Velocity was fine, and execution was pretty good. Really I just wanted to feel good, and I did feel good. So, main objective cleared.”
He said he has another live batting practice scheduled for Tuesday in Phoenix and then could begin a rehab assignment, which he expects to be at least two to three weeks long.
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