Could Los Angeles Dodgers' Alex Freeland be proving the reason for his major league survival?
The Dodgers beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 5-4 on the 28th (all times KST) at Uniqlo Field at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California, in a 2026 major league game and improved to 2-0 to start the season.
Arizona's Ketel Marte (second base), Corbin Carroll (right field), Geraldo Perdomo (shortstop), Gabriel Moreno (catcher), Pavin Smith (designated hitter), Nolan Arenado (third base), Carlos Santana (first base), Alec Thomas (center field) and Jordan Lawler (left field) were listed in the starting lineup. The starting pitcher was Ryan Nelson.
The Dodgers started Shohei Ohtani (designated hitter), Kyle Tucker (right field), Mookie Betts (shortstop), Freddie Freeman (first base), Will Smith (catcher), Max Muncy (third base), Teoscar Hernández (left field), Andy Pages (center field) and Alex Freeland (second base). Freeland, who pushed Kim Hye-seong out of the lineup, made his first start. The starting pitcher was Emmett Sheehan.
The Dodgers fell behind first. In the top of the second, Gabriel Moreno singled to left and Pavin Smith drew a walk, putting runners on first and second with no outs. Nolan Arenado struck out and Carlos Santana flew out to first base foul, but Alec Thomas hit an RBI double.
After one out in the top of the third, Ketel Marte hit a solo homer. The Dodgers trailed 0-2. But the rally began in the bottom of the third with Alex Freeland. Freeland, who made the opening-day roster over Kim Hye-seong, in his first start of the season homered in his first plate appearance. Facing a 2-2 count, he lifted Nelson's 96.9 mph four-seam fastball and cleared the right-field wall.
Later, with no outs and runners on first and second after walks to Ohtani and Kyle Tucker, Mookie Betts hit a three-run homer over the right-center field wall. The Dodgers took a 4-2 lead.
But the lead did not last long. In the top of the fourth, the Dodgers walked leadoff batter Pavin Smith, and after one out gave up a double to Carlos Santana, creating a one-out, runners on second and third threat. Alec Thomas then hit an RBI double to right, tying the game 4-4.
The Dodgers then were completely silent. The only hits that day were Freeland's solo shot and Betts' three-run homer. Silent from the fourth through the seventh, the Dodgers showed late-inning strength in the eighth. Again the rally began with Freeland. Batting leadoff in the eighth, Freeland opened the inning with a double to right-center. Later, with one out and a runner on third after Ohtani's grounder to second, $240 million addition Kyle Tucker delivered an RBI single to right to put the Dodgers up 5-4.
Tucker created the one-out, runner-on-third opportunity himself with a steal of second and an overthrow error, but the Dodgers could not add another run. In the top of the ninth, Edwin Díaz, who joined on a three-year, $69 million deal, came on to preserve the one-run lead and recorded his first save since the trade.
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