Opening weekend in the MLB baseball is always a spectacular experience. Especially when to long-time division rivals hit off a season series with a blast. The World Champion San Francisco Giants took on the Los Angeles Dodgers in heat battle to open up the season in four games series. On typical sunny warm day in Southern California with shadows dimming in the home plate they were ready for the first pitch throw out by Dodgers legend pitcher Fernando Valenzuela.
Day one at Chavez Ravine it certainly was a pitcher's duo with two young aces on the mound. Former Cy Young award winner Tim Lincicum and young phenom Clayton Kershaw were in a true battle till the bitter end. The Dodgers did win by a hair by the some poor fielding caused by the Giants. It was a great low scoring game with the Dodgers ending up on the right side of the stick.
In game two was just as exciting and each team manage a bit more offense. Dodgers pitcher Chad Billingsley gave up a three run homer to rookie Brandon Belt. But before you knew the Dodgers were able to regain the lead by the outstanding base-running and hitting of dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp that seem to get everyone of his teammates working on the same page. And the Giants still looked awful on the field and out of place so that didn't help either.
However, game three was an entire different story especially on the end of the Dodgers. It looked like they took a day off and fell asleep a the wheel and the Giants were back in Championship form. San Francisco was absolutely magnificent, pitcher Matt Cain pitch a gem that day against the Dodgers allowing zero runs. And Dodgers starting pitcher Ted Lilly was still dreaming of is wonderful off-season
Everything seemed to gel together for the Giants Saturday they had not only shut out their hated rivals but rocked from the offensive stand point scoring 10 runs. This was the Dodgers worst lost to the Giants ever. Apparently this also gave new Dodgers manager Don Matingly his first loss.
The final game of the series between the two rivals of National League west was more exciting it came down almost to the last pitch by Dodgers closure Jonathon Broxton. In this game the Dodgers had the lead early 3-0 than before you knew it the Giants were able to tie it up 3-3 in the seventh. But thereafter the Dodgers seemed to be on the right side of the fence and everything fell in too place for them. Once again the Giants outfield looked like they were outpaced especially right-fielder Aubrey Huff that made two misjudgments on to routine pop up's. Huff lost his first base job this spring to bring young Belt up to play the position so he may need a bit of adjusting before he gets used to the outfield.
A triple, a double before you the Dodgers added to their total three more runs to seal the victory. But the Giants did try to inch ever closure when Broxton gave up a solo home-run to Scott Roland to add a little suspense to the traditional rivalry. But Broxton stood on course and was able to stay on track to close out the game and capture another victory.
In the first series of the year these great rivals the Giants and the Dodgers took stage to prove to us all that this is going to be a very historical and fabulous season.
Knowing what to expect is all up in the air the season is still very young and any team can be champions at this point. Next time this rival will take place will be when the Dodgers visit the Giants up in San Francisco.
On a sad note on opening day inside the Dodgers Stadium parking lot a Giants fan was beaten severely by at loose drunken hoodlems. I wish him and his family all the best.
Written by:
