Julio Urias overcomes the cold and wins in his first start game with the Dodgers, who have good performances from severa
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After 25 years since a Mexican was not the starting pitcher for the Dodgers in the first game of the season, Julio Urías led Los Angeles to victory with a strong performance against the Arizona Diamondbacks
The opening game of the Los Angeles Dodgers in their stadium was different from any that can be remembered: it was at night, with winter cold after a few hours of rain and with a Mexican starting pitcher for the first time since 1988 But what didn't change was the positive result against his favorite rival in this type of game.
Julio Urías pitched well to win his first Major League start game, rookie James Outman hit two-run homer and Will Smith drove in four runs in an 8-2 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks Thursday night at Dodger Stadium, where the stadium thermometer read 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 C.).
Julio in the #Dodgers bullpen before starting the first game of 2023… Good luck to El Culichi in this new season ✌ï¸
— Ricardo Lopez Juarez (@Ricardo_Sports) March 31,
LA 2, Arizona 2 in the 5th #LosAngeles #Urias pic.twitter.com/KMXX1jHA6r
Poor weather in recent weeks in California reached the Dodgers' home opener, which traditionally takes place on afternoons in perfect spring weather in Los Angeles. Hotas before the game, the canvas had to be mobilized on the diamond, and although the rain stopped on time, the cold marked the day. Maybe that's why there were a fair amount of empty seats in some parts of the stands.
Nonetheless, the Dodgers improved to 5-0 against the D’Backs in season openers already 12-3 in last 15 starts overall.
Before the game, the Dodgers presented three legends from the Cy Young trophy-winning team for the ceremonial first pitch: Fernando Valenzuela, Orel Hershiser and Eric Gagné. The ovation was especially loud for Valenzuela, who recently received the news that the Dodgers they will withdraw their number 34 in the month of August.
The love of @LosDodgers for Fernando Valenzuela is absolute. This is how the "bleachers" reacted when he came out to throw the first ball along with other greats âš¾ï¸ðŸ‡²ðŸ‡½ðŸ‡ºðŸ‡¸ #Dodgers #OpeningDay @MLB_Mexico pic.twitter.com/XTabiswil1
— Ricardo Lopez Juarez (@Ricardo_Sports) March 31,
By the way, the mayor of Los Angeles, Karen Bass, was in charge of delivering the balls to the three pitchers during the ceremony, boos were heard from the crowd when it was introduced.
Julio Urias started slow, but then dominated Arizona
The Diamondbacks scored quickly in the game on Christian Walker's single to drive in Ketel Marte, who had reached on a pitch by Urías, who was the first Mexican pitcher to start the Dodgers' opening game since Valenzuela did so in 1988.
The Mexican, who tends to have slow starts to games, came out of the hole by dominating Evan Longoria on a ground-out for a double play. But on his first pitch of the second inning, the left-hander doubled off Nick Ahmed, who two batters later scored it for 2-0 on Gabriel Moreno's sacrifice fly.
The Dodgers tied the score in the third inning. Rookie James Outman led off with a walk, Miguel Rojas grounded double, and after two outs Will Smith singled to right field to drive in both runners against the beaten starter Zac Gallen.
Urias settled down and didn't allow a hit to Arizona's next 13 batters until a single by Marte in the sixth, when Mookie Betts tagged him out for second base. Urías then struck out Lourdes Gurriel Jr. to end the inning. His performance was good: 6 innings, 4 hits, 2 earned runs, 6 strikeouts, 0 bases and a hit batter. He threw 79 pitches (57 strikes) en route to the first win.
His offense backed the Mexican up by giving him the lead in the fifth with a three-run rally.
Betts was walked by pitcher Gallen with one out. Freddie Freeman singled and Will Smith drove in his third run of the night when he hit a fly ball that fell to the ground behind first base to make it 3-2.
After another out, JD Martinez drove in his first run as a Dodger with a single to right (4-2) to send Gallen into the showers. But the Dodgers made it their fifth run with another liner hit, this time by David Peralta against reliever Cole Sulser, to drive in running back Smith at 5-2.
The first of many at Dodger Stadium for James Outman! pic.twitter.com/sktqSYz5dr— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) March 31, 2023
The Dodgers capped the win with another two runs in the sixth courtesy of two rookies who started the season as starters. Cuban Miguel Vargas walked and Californian James Outman hit the team's first home run of 2023 and his second as a major leaguer.