Dodgers throttle Giants in Betts' debut

[July 24, 2020]  Mookie Betts' first hit with his new club led to the go-ahead run, and the Los Angeles Dodgers erupted late for an 8-1 victory over the visiting San Francisco Giants on Thursday night in the delayed 2020 season opener for both teams.

Betts, who played six seasons with the Boston Red Sox before he was traded to the Dodgers in the offseason and subsequently signed a 12-year extension, delivered a single to left field in the seventh inning in his fourth at-bat.

He moved to third base on a double by Cody Bellinger and scored on a ground ball to second base by Justin Turner despite a drawn-in infield as Los Angeles broke a late 1-1 tie.

Enrique Hernandez had a home run among his four hits and drove in five runs for the Dodgers, who are the solid betting favorite to win the World Series in a regular season that was reduced to 60 games because of the coronavirus pandemic. It was the Dodgers' major-league-leading 11th Opening Day victory since 2008.

The Giants scored the first National League run of the season in the third inning. Catcher Tyler Heineman led off the third inning with a single and eventually came home on a sacrifice fly from Pablo Sandoval.

The Dodgers tied it 1-1 on Hernandez's bloop RBI single to left-center in the fourth. Hernandez added a two-run single to right field two batters after Betts scored the go-ahead run as Los Angeles scored five times in the seventh inning.

Hernandez capped his night with a two-run home run to left in the eighth.

The Dodgers had an eventful lead-in to the game. Betts agreed to a 12-year, $365 million contract extension Wednesday, before even playing a game in a Dodgers uniform, while scheduled starter Clayton Kershaw went on the injured list hours before the contest due to back stiffness.

Dodgers starting pitcher Dustin May (85) throws in the first inning against the San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium. May was a last minute substitution for Clayton Kershaw (not pictured) who was placed on the injured list earlier in the day. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports

Right-hander Dustin May was recalled to take Kershaw's spot on the roster, and he became the first Dodgers rookie to start an opener since Fernando Valenzuela in 1981.

May wobbled at times but gave up just one run on seven hits over 4 1/3 innings with no walks and four strikeouts. Dodgers left-hander Adam Kolarek (1-0) went 1 2/3 scoreless innings to earn the victory.

Giants starter Johnny Cueto gave up one run on five hits over four innings. San Francisco right-hander Tyler Rogers (0-1) gave up four of the Dodgers' runs in the seventh inning to take the loss.

All players and coaches from both teams took a knee in a pregame ceremony as a nod to racial unity. Betts, Sandoval and the Giants' Hunter Pence and Mike Yastrzemski were among the players who kneeled during the national anthem, as did new San Francisco manager Gabe Kapler.

--Field Level Media

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