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Dodgertown Spirit

April 5, 2023 //
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A couple days ago, I was looking at the Nextdoor app to see what was going on with neighbors, porch thefts, lost animals, etc., and I saw terrified (multi-exclamation-pointed) posts about the tremendous roar of fighter jets passing low over Echo Park. “What did it mean? Are we at war?” Silly newbies! It’s Dodgers Opening Day!!!

Blue is definitely the predominant color in my neighborhood. When I used to take the bus home late at night from The Times, I always wore Dodger T-shirts or an LA beanie to let the homies on Echo Park Avenue know I was one of them. Now, the incoming hipsters are learning how important the Boys in Blue are to Echo Park. One trendy new bar is even offering free drinks to a certain sidelined shortstop. (Across the street from the gas station where I met Gavin Lux last year.)

This past week, the Dodgers have played 6 games and won 4 of them. Sunday (April 2), after going into the 9th tied, 1-1, reliever Brusdar Graterol screwed the pooch, and they lost to the D’backs, 2-1. But the good news was that starter Noah Syndergaard had a stellar 6-inning, 6K Dodger debut. BOX SCORE  

On Monday (April 3), Stephen and I climbed to our seats in the top row of the Top Deck, braving hurricane winds and icy temps, only to watch one inning and then leave because we were so freaking uncomfortable. We slunk off to the warmth of our little home, 1 mile away, and watched the rest of the game on TV. The final score was 13-4 over the Rockies. BOX SCORE 

And then last night (April 4), Stephen couldn’t come to the game with me due to other obligations, so he dropped me at the stadium to get the swag (2 hooded sweatshirts). 

I was supposed to watch a few innings, and then Stephen would pick me up. But I was having so much fun with my good friend Liz that I ended up watching the entire game! All 2 hours 25 minutes of it!

Julio Urías pitched great! He even got himself out of a no-outs, bases-loaded jam that looked like curtains for our boys early on. Thank heavens for double plays! 

All our runs were the result of homers (by Will Smith, Jason Heyward and Max Muncy). It looked like we were cruising to a 5-0 shutout, but reliever Phil Bickford did not have his best day. He started giving up runs in the top of the 9th, and it was too painful to watch, so I went to the bathroom. By the time I got out, “I Love L.A.” was blaring from the speakers, and Dodgertown was happy once more. Final score, 5-2. BOX SCORE

The main takeaway, in my opinion, about the first week of Dodger Baseball 2023, is that our starting pitching has been quite solid. (Knock on wood!) That’s a very good thing, because our bats are, game by game, either spicy hot or icy cold, so a good starter is the only thing that will keep us in the game during a freeze snap. Now, let’s hope our bullpen can rise to the occasion!

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Categories 2023

Another Opening, Another Show!

April 2, 2023 //
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This was the scene just after the 7th Inning Stretch at Opening Night (March 30) at Chavez Ravine. You are not imagining a fourth person in the outfield. That was some knucklehead trying to propose to his baby mama before being violently tackled by Dodger security!

Steve and I walked up to the stadium (partly in the rain), although I went about an hour earlier than he did. I like to get there before the crowds, walk around and say hey to all the folks I’ve made friends with over the years. Order my hot dog while they’re fresh and hot. That’s my Blue Heaven!

I decided not to take score on this night, because I knew there would be tons of people and hoopla, plus I didn’t know how the new rules would affect the pace of the game. Turns out, it’s quite a lot. The game was less than 3 hours long, so I actually spent more time at the stadium before the game than I did while the game was going on!

The Dodgers did great! Julio Urías was shaky at first, but he settled down. Will Smith went 3-for-4, and James Outman had his first home run of the season. We beat the D’backs, 8-2, and got to hear our song, “I Love L.A.,” for the first time this spring! Glorious! BOX SCORE

We missed the Drone Show on Friday night (March 31), because we had frozen our asses off on Opening Night, so we wanted to avoid catching cold. We heard later that crowds did not really appreciate the drones. They would have liked to see fireworks. I’m all for the drones, though. My dog gets freaked out by fireworks, and I usually have to take him for a drive while the Dodgers show is going on.

We dropped the second game, 2-1, spoiling Dustin May‘s spectacular comeback start. He went 7 innings, gave up just 3 hits and no runs. BOX SCORE

Freddie Freeman Bobblehead night on Saturday (April 1), was a blast. We had our little core group of Season Ticket Holders in our area. I met Miguel Vargas‘ mom in the elevator. I took score. (The game is so speedy, it’s hard to keep track of pitch counts, but I did it.) And Trayce Thompson hit 3 home runs for a total of 8 RBIs. Awesome!!!

Behind a strong 9K effort by Clayton Kershaw, we slaughtered the opposition, 10-1, so we took a 2-1 lead in the series. BOX SCORE

As I write this, I’m listening to the Sunday game (April 2) on AM570. It’s the bottom of the 8th, and the score is tied. I’ll be back with more Dodger memories in a few days. Until then, Let’s Go, Dodgers!!!!!

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Categories 2023

The Win for Vin

September 26, 2016 //
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win-for-vin

Would you believe a home run? The Dodgers have clinched the division and will celebrate on schedule.

Vin Scully, like many of us in the stadium yesterday, had been watching the other game (Giants 3, Padres 4 in the top of the 9th) as Dodger second-baseman Charlie Culberson came to the plate. There were two outs, and his team was tied with the Rockies 3-3 in the bottom of the 10th. We were bracing to go to the 11th and to clinch the National League West championship via San Francisco’s demise.

“Culberson doesn’t have any homers,” my husband lamented. “It’s time for him to get his first.”

BAM! Vin Scully got to report one last miracle in Chavez Ravine before hanging up his microphone and heading home.

For me, it was better than Kirk Gibson’s home run simply because I was there to see it with my own eyes.

I’ve witnessed many amazing moments at Dodger Stadium — Fernando’s no-hitter, Manny’s bobblehead slam, Steve Finley’s clinching homer — but they came mostly from players who were well-known to be capable of such big contributions.

No one expected anything like this from Culberson, who practically danced from third to his waiting teammates at home plate. It was a beautiful, joyful and totally surprising turn of events.

When Kershaw was injured, a postseason berth looked like a lost cause. Luckily, this scrappy team didn’t see what so many of the rest of us saw.

To a man, they came through when needed. The unlikeliest of heroes emerged game after game. With the steady leadership of manager Dave Roberts, the veterans — Adrián González, Chase Utley, Howie Kendrick and A.J. Ellis (now gone but never forgotten) — and the rest of a roster made from spare parts came together to make history.

This is a team in the truest sense of the word.

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Categories 2016
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