Photo: Justin Edmonds / Getty Images
The Los Angeles Dodgers made their season debut 2022 this Friday with a 5-3 win over the Colorado Rockies in Denver thanks to a juicy rally in the fourth inning and an outstanding performance from their pitchers.
The favorite team to win the National League pennant had the contributions of some of its new stars, such as Freddie Freeman, who had his first hit and scored a run in his debut with the team, and closer Craig Kimbrel, who earned his first save.
Down 2-0 after the Rockies scored twice off starter Walker Buehler in the second inning, Dodgers bats rang in the fourth inning already with two outs: Gavin Lux drove in two runs with a single to tie the score, Mookie Betts gave Los Angeles the lead with a double and Trea Turner increased to 4- 2 with another hit.
A wild pitch allowed Freeman – this year’s star signing in LA – to add another touchdown. The former Braves player also showed off his fine glove at first base.
Buehler (1-0) pitched 5 innings with 4 hits, 2 earned runs, 5 strikeouts and 2 walks . Brusdar Graterol, Blake Treinen, Daniel Hudson and Kimbrel combined for the rest of the game with only 1 run and 3 hits in a ballpark always challenging for pitchers.
Kimbrel, the active pitcher with the most MLB saves and who was acquired a few days ago in a trade with the White Sox for AJ Pollock, managed to finish the game despite receiving two hits, including an RBI double. by Charlie Blackmon who made it 5-3. A strikeout to Kris Bryant, who made his Colorado debut, was the out 27.
The Dodgers, who will continue the series in Denver over the weekend and then will visit Minnesota before heading home for their opener at Dodger Stadium, they have one of the strongest lineups in living memory, with at least four legitimate contenders for the ‘ MVP’ in this campaign: Betts, Trea Turner, Freeman and Max Muncy, in addition to Cody Bellinger (Betts, Freeman and Bellinger have already won it before).
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