LOS ANGELES (AP) — Trea Turner singled in Freddie Freeman with the go-ahead run and Will Smith added a three-run homer in the eighth inning, rallying the Los Angeles Dodgers past the Cincinnati Reds 9-3 on Thursday in just the second night home opener in Dodger Stadium history.
Freeman led off with a ground-rule double to deep left-center off Justin Wilson (0-1). The crowd of 52,995 broke out in chants of “Freddie! Freddie!” Standing at second, Freeman took off his helmet, patted his heart with it and nodded his head in appreciation.
His family cheered in a suite for the slugger who returned home to Southern California in March when he signed with the Dodgers after spending his entire career in Atlanta.
Turner followed with a single to right off Tony Santillan, sending Freeman charging home to give the Dodgers a 4-3 lead.
After taking a 3-0 lead in the first, the Dodgers went begging until scoring six runs in the eighth when they batted around.
Justin Turner walked, Trea Turner took second and both moved up on Santillan’s wild pitch. After Max Muncy struck out, Smith blasted his shot to center. The ball hit the wall and then ricocheted off the glove of Jake Fraley and back into the park as the crowd erupted.
Ryan Hendrix came on and his wild pitch scored Chris Taylor. Mookie Betts’ RBI single made it 9-3.
Blake Treinen (1-1) to the win with one scoreless inning of relief.
Freeman ignited the Dodgers’ offense in the first with the first of five consecutive singles off Reds starter Luis Cessa. Trea Turner, Justin Turner, Muncy and Smith were part of the hit parade.
The Reds tied it 3-all on Brandon Drury’s two-out homer off David Price in the seventh. Drury came in as a defensive replacement for 2021 NL Rookie of the Year Jonathan India, who got hurt in the fifth.
The Reds closed to 3-2 in the fifth on Aristides Aquino’s two-run homer, just his second hit of the season. The left fielder struck out in his first two at-bats.
Dodgers starter Walker Buehler got yanked and promptly threw his glove against the dugout wall. He allowed two runs and five hits in 5 2/3 innings. The right-hander struck out four and walked three.
Cincinnati slugger Joey Votto doubled in the second, snapping an 0-for-11 skid.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Reds: 2B India left with a right hamstring injury after legging out a base hit. … OF Tommy Pham (hand) could return Friday. He missed his second straight game after colliding with Nick Senzel in the outfield.
CHAVEZ RAVINE’S 60TH
The Reds and Dodgers played the first game at Dodger Stadium on April 10, 1962. The ballpark is the third-oldest in the majors and is hosting the All-Star Game in July.
The Dodgers began their season-long anniversary celebration by having Hall of Fame broadcaster Jaime Jarrín, in his 64th and final year as the team’s Spanish-language voice, throw out the first pitch.
He was backed by Dodger greats Wes Parker, Rick Monday, Fernando Valenzuela, Adrian Beltre, Eric Gagne, Nomar Garciaparra and Adrian Gonzalez representing each decade of the stadium’s 60-year existence.
Two F-35 fighter jets roared over the field and members from all six military branches unfurled a giant American flag.
UP NEXT
Reds: RHP Vladimir Gutierrez (0-1, 4.15 ERA) starts Friday on Jackie Robinson Day around the majors. His career ERA in the first inning is 8.61 and 3.78 in subsequent innings.
Dodgers: RHP Tony Gonsolin (0-0, 3.00) has faced the Reds just once in his career. He tossed 2 1/3 innings of relief, allowing three earned runs and three hits, last September.
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George is Digismak’s reported cum editor with 13 years of experience in Journalism