There is nothing like Opening Day at Dodger Stadium. Absolutely nothing. And even though Thursday’s game against the St. Louis Cardinals was the third game of the 2024 season for the Dodgers, who already played two games against the division-rival San Diego Padres at the Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday was the real Opening Day, if you get my drift.

The pre-game ceremonies and player introductions were once again spectacular, capped off by a military flyover during the National Anthem.

And then it was showtime, and show up the Dodgers did, amassing seven runs on 10 hits in their 7-1 rout of the Cardinals.

The Dodgers Big Three, Dodgers lead off hitter/shortstop Mookie Betts, designated hitter Shohei Ohtani, and first baseman Freddie Freeman, indeed showed up on Thursday afternoon, going a combined 5-for-8 (.625), with a combined five runs scored and four RBIs.

“Today was a really well-played baseball game, started, obviously, fifty thousand people, great day to watch a ballgame, and our guys showed up today,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said postgame. “And you look at the offense and Mookie does what Mookie does, you know, still swinging a hot bat, and Shohei put on a nice show. So, across the board, I thought we caught it, pitched well, and then got some timely hitting.”

What Mookie did was go 1-for-3, with two walks and the first home run to be hit at Dodger Stadium this season, a 406-foot solo shot into the Dodgers bullpen in left field in the bottom of the third inning, to give the Dodgers a 3-0 lead over the Redbirds.

Freeman also homered in the third, a two-run shot to center, to make it 5-0 Dodgers.

On the other side of the ball, 30-year-old Dodgers right-hander Tyler Glasnow also showed up. The Newhall, CA native and fifth round draft pick in 2011 by the Pittsburgh Pirates out of Hart High School in Santa Clarita, CA pitched six solid innings, during which he allowed only one run on two hits, while striking out five and walking one. That one run (and one of those two hits) was a fourth-inning solo home run by longtime Dodgers nemesis and seven time All-Star first baseman Paul Goldschmidt.

“I thought Tyler threw the ball really well, even, at times early,” Roberts said of Glasnow. “Didn’t have his best command, but still, they were obviously aggressive early trying to ambush, and allowed for his pitch count to stay in a good reasonable spot. So, to get him through six was great. I thought that last inning was really good.”

With their win, the Dodgers are now 2-1 on the season, which has them tied with the San Diego Padres for first place in the National League West.

…and a Magic Number of 159.

Play Ball!

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