Will Smith’s late home run lifts Dodgers to season-opening sweep

The Dodgers have shown one thing in their first three games this season.

They have no problem erasing early deficits.

For the third night in a row against the Arizona Diamondbacks, the Dodgers found themselves in a two-run hole early in the game.

But for the third night in a row, they were able to rally support behind a strong offense and a timely offense, slogging off Will Smith’s go-ahead homer in the eighth to seal a sweeping 3-2 win.

Smith almost felt the big swing, coming on a night he celebrated his 31st birthday and a bobblehead gift commemorating his game-winning, Game 7 World Series home run last year.

However, for much of the night, it seemed doubtful that such late heroics would come to the Dodgers — whose star-studded lineup once again waited until the end to spring to life.

While Tyler Glasnow pitched well in his season debut — allowing just two runs in six innings, while striking out six batters and retiring 10 of his last 11 — Arizona left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez was even better.

Over five strong frames, the Dodgers were limited to one unearned run. When Freddie Freeman doubled home Kyle Tucker in the sixth inning after an error early in the inning.

After that, the Dodgers (3-0) struggled to penetrate the Dbacks’ base as well, racking up six straight runs after Freeman’s double before Mookie Betts walked with two out in the eighth.

However, that broke the door enough, as Smith sent a soaring 98 mph heater from Juan Murillo sailing to center field right away on the next at-bat.

What does it mean

The Dodgers are hitting on all cylinders so far. But they are doing enough, with several small moments that helped change Saturday’s game.

There was Kyle Tucker stealing a home run against the short fence in the bottom right corner in the sixth inning. He then used his speed to set up Freeman’s RBI double in the sixth inning by beating out a play at first and stealing second to get into scoring position.

There was Betts’ walk that set the stage for Smith’s winning blast, a four-pitch free pass that erased the frustration of his 0-for-3 night up to that point.

Finally, there was Edwin Diaz, who completed a scoreless three-inning effort with his second save in as many nights.

Who’s hot?

Entering Saturday, Freeman had yet to have a hit — despite having nothing but hard balls in his first two outings (literally, every one of them had an exit velocity of at least 90 mph).

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However, that quickly changed, as Freeman singled his first two runs before putting the Dodgers on the board with an RBI double in the sixth inning, hitting a ground ball just inside the third base bag.

Unfortunately, Freeman finished the night 3-for-4 after watching yet another fly ball die on the warning track, the fifth time that has happened this season. However, he finally got some results to go with what appears to be a synchronized swing.

Who is not

It’s only a matter of time before Shohei Ohtani is gone.

But in one series, the four-time MVP has yet to shine.

Ohtani has been on base a lot, already collecting four walks (including two freebies on Saturday) and a hit by a pitch. However, he hasn’t had a hit since his first single on Thursday. And in Saturday’s loss, he missed several opportunities to help start the rally, falling to 0 in his last 7 at-bats after a double play in the fifth inning and a walk-off home run to first to advance to eighth.

the next

Thanks to strange quirks in MLB’s staggered opening week schedule, the Dodgers will get a rare day off on Sunday, before hosting the Cleveland Guardians in a three-game series starting Monday night. Rocky Sasaki would start in that game, trying to reverse the fortunes of his disastrous spring training.