During the COVID-19-shortened 2020 season, the World Series Champion Los Angeles Dodgers hit an MLB-best 118 home runs, 15 more than their nearest competition, the Atlanta Braves.

Through their first two games of the 2021 season, both at mile-high Coors Field in Denver, they have hit one, and it was nullified when Dodgers center fielder Cody Bellinger passed Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner on the basepaths when Turner thought that Bellinger’s smash had been caught and returned to first base to tag up. As a result, the Dodgers are still looking for their second first home run of the new season and are among nine teams yet to homer in 2021.

The Dodgers ended up losing that first game of the season to the Rockies by a score of 8-5 in what Dodgers manager Dave Roberts later (generously) summed up by saying: “…we didn’t play well.”

In Game-2 of the 2021 season against those same Colorado Rockies on Friday night, the Dodgers did play well … very well. They won by a score of 11-6, collecting 16 hits, including three each by Turner, shortstop Corey Seager, and catcher Will Smith. Among those 16 hits were two triples (one each by Bellinger and second baseman Gavin Lux), six doubles (two each by Smith and right fielder Mookie Betts, and one each by Turner and Seager). The other eight hits were singles. In fact, only Dodgers first baseman Max Muncy and starting pitcher Trevor Bauer from among the starting nine went hitless on the night.

Notice anything unusual about those 16 hits and 11 runs? Yep, none were home runs; Zero, zip, zilch, nada.

Should Dodger fans be concerned?

Not according to unofficial team captain Justin Turner.

“Come on, media, you guys should love this; we’re not just relying on the home run ball. How many times have we heard that in the past?” Turner kidded during his postgame Zoom media scrum. “This is a well-rounded offense that can beat you in a lot of ways. It’s not just about sitting back and hitting homers.”

Of course, no game at Coors Field (AKA: Curse Field) would be complete without something weird happening. On Friday night, that weirdness came in the bottom of the eighth inning when a gray cat ran out onto the field, temporarily interrupting play. The cat was eventually scooped up by stadium employees and (presumably) turned over to animal control personnel.

Play Ball!

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