{"id":689946,"date":"2026-03-29T10:27:23","date_gmt":"2026-03-29T10:27:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/689946\/"},"modified":"2026-03-29T10:27:23","modified_gmt":"2026-03-29T10:27:23","slug":"will-smiths-big-birthday-blast-powers-dodgers-to-sweep-of-arizona","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/689946\/","title":{"rendered":"Will Smith’s big birthday blast powers Dodgers to sweep of Arizona"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Freeze frame. There\u2019s Dodgers<\/a> catcher Will Smith\u2019s<\/a> follow-through as he watches the ball he just crushed travel toward the wall Saturday.<\/p>\n

Now, split screen. Pull up an image of the bobblehead<\/a> the Dodgers gave out before the game, commemorating Smith\u2019s Game 7 World Series-winning home run<\/a>. It\u2019s a mirror image.<\/p>\n

On his bobblehead night and 31st birthday, Smith delivered a two-run home run in the eighth inning as the Dodgers swept their season-opening series against the Arizona Diamondbacks with a 3-2 victory<\/a> Saturday at Dodger Stadium.<\/p>\n

Cue an aerial shot of the Hollywood sign.<\/p>\n

\"\" <\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you talk about big hits, clutch, Will\u2019s right at the top of the list,\u201d manager Dave Roberts<\/a> said.<\/p>\n

Roberts originally planned to sit Smith. The catcher played in the first two games of the series, and an off day on Sunday would have given him two straight days of rest early in a grueling season. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe always talk about stuff,\u201d Smith said. \u201cHe was going to give me the day off, I just kind of dropped the bobblehead card [for Saturday] and he let me in there.\u201d<\/p>\n

A key edit to the script. <\/p>\n

Roberts made a few tweaks to the lineup ahead of the Dodgers facing a left-handed starter for the first time this season. Against Eduardo Rodriguez<\/a>, Roberts swapped first baseman Freddie Freeman<\/a> and Smith in the batting order; Smith hit fourth and Freeman fifth.<\/p>\n

Santiago Espinal<\/a> also made his Dodgers debut, starting at third base. Roberts said it wouldn\u2019t be a platoon between Espinal and Max Muncy<\/a> at third, but he wasn\u2019t sure exactly how the playing-time split would play out.<\/p>\n

For the first five innings, no one on the Dodgers did much on offense, except for Freeman. <\/p>\n

Freeman went hitless in the first two games of the series despite making hard contact. But he had three hits in four at-bats Saturday, including a double in the sixth inning that drove in the Dodgers\u2019 first run.<\/p>\n

\u201cDefinitely nice to get off the barrel on the first one and hit a flare up the middle,\u201d Freeman said. \u201cAnd obviously once you get one, you can just kind of rest easy. And then they played the shift on my third hit, and that was nice, because then I was able to stay on the fastball and hit it to left field down the line.\u201d <\/p>\n

That hit cut the Diamondbacks\u2019 lead to one run, thanks to a strong showing from the Dodgers\u2019 pitching staff.<\/p>\n

\"Dodgers <\/p>\n

Dodgers pitcher Tyler Glasnow delivers during the first inning against the Diamondbacks on Saturday.<\/p>\n

(Gina Ferazzi \/ Los Angeles Times)<\/p>\n

Tyler Glasnow<\/a> turned in a quality start. Holding the Diamondbacks to two runs over six innings, Glasnow used his curveball as his putaway pitch against right-handed hitters, and two-strike sinkers kept left-handed batters off balance, especially deeper into his start. Glasnow recorded six strikeouts.<\/p>\n

The Dodgers\u2019 bullpen continued its scoreless streak for the series, <\/b>as Alex Vesia<\/a>, Will Klein<\/a> and Edwin D\u00edaz<\/a> shut down the Diamondbacks through the last three innings. <\/p>\n

For the second straight night, D\u00edaz entered to a live rendition of Timmy Trumpet\u2019s \u2018Narco,\u2019<\/a> performed by trumpet player Tatiana Tate.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen Edwin comes in the game, that means something good\u2019s happening for the Dodgers,\u201d Freeman said. \u201cSo I\u2019m a fan.\u201d<\/p>\n

Although the Dodgers\u2019 offense was quieter than in their other wins of the series, their lineup again proved to be pesky. In all three games, they fell behind 2-0. In all three, they won.<\/p>\n

\"Dodgers <\/p>\n

Dodgers catcher Will Smith, left, celebrates with Tesocar Hern\u00e1ndez after hitting a two-run home run in the eighth inning Saturday.<\/p>\n

(Gina Ferazzi \/ Los Angeles Times)<\/p>\n

With two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning Saturday, Mookie Betts<\/a> drew a walk. Then Smith worked a 2-2 count, fouling off three fastballs before he was right on time for one at the top of the strike zone. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe never feel like we\u2019re out of it,\u201d Smith said. \u201cWe keep taking good at-bats, keep believing in each other, keep believing that someone\u2019s going to come up with a big hit.\u201d<\/p>\n

On Saturday, it was destined to be Smith. <\/p>\n

\u201cBirthday and bobblehead day,\u201d Glasnow said, \u201cIt was a magical night.\u201d<\/p>\n

Roll credits.<\/p>\n

\"\" Injury updates<\/p>\n

Dodgers utility players Tommy Edman (right ankle surgery recovery) and Kik\u00e9 Hern\u00e1ndez (left elbow surgery recovery) took early batting practice on the field Saturday afternoon.<\/p>\n

Roberts has said he expected Edman, on the 10-day injured list, will be an option by at least the end of May. Hern\u00e1ndez will be eligible to be activated off the 60-day IL around the same time.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d be shocked if [Hern\u00e1ndez] wasn\u2019t ready when that time is up,\u201d Roberts said. \u201cTaking grounders, the way he\u2019s moving, the way he\u2019s throwing, catching, the swing, ball coming off the bat. If I didn\u2019t know any better, I\u2019d think he was in the lineup tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n

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