Blake Snell Leads Dodgers to Victory in Thrilling Home Opener
LOS ANGELES — In a thrilling Dodgers home opener, Blake Snell impressed in his debut, leading the way to a 5-4 victory against the Detroit Tigers on Thursday. Teoscar Hernández smashed a three-run home run, adding to the excitement at the packed stadium.
The Dodgers also saw standout performances from Shohei Ohtani, who launched his second home run of the season and scored twice, while Tommy Edman contributed with a homer of his own.
Snell, a two-time Cy Young Award winner who joined the Dodgers after signing a lucrative $182 million, five-year contract in the offseason, showcased his skills by allowing just two runs on five hits over five innings. The left-handed pitcher also struck out two batters and issued four walks.
Hernández’s impressive three-run homer came off Tarik Skubal’s first pitch with two outs in the fifth inning, reclaiming the lead for the Dodgers at 4-2. Ohtani had previously reached base on a fielder’s choice, and Mookie Betts had walked, setting the stage for Hernández’s pivotal hit.
Ohtani furthered the Dodgers’ advantage with a solo home run in the seventh inning, pushing the lead to 5-3.
Having started the season strong with two victories against the Chicago Cubs in Tokyo, the Dodgers now hold a 3-0 record. The defending World Series champions celebrated their victory amid great fanfare, as a sellout crowd of 53,595 witnessed the iconic Commissioner’s Trophy being brought onto the field in a stylish entrance by rapper Ice Cube.
While Snell had a few hiccups, such as a wild pitch that allowed Spencer Torkelson to score the Tigers’ first run in the fourth inning, he remained largely composed. In the fifth, consecutive singles from Gleyber Torres and Riley Greene, followed by a walk to Torkelson, loaded the bases for Detroit. Manuel Margot’s sacrifice fly subsequently gave Detroit a temporary 2-1 lead.
Torkelson kept the game competitive with a homer that reduced the Tigers’ deficit to 4-3 in the seventh. Kerry Carpenter then brought Detroit within one run in the eighth with a sacrifice fly against Tanner Scott.
Dodgers’ reliever Blake Treinen was tasked with closing out the ninth inning, maintaining the 5-4 lead. Despite allowing two runners on base, he successfully retired Trey Sweeney and Colt Keith to secure the save.
Tarik Skubal, last year’s AL Cy Young winner, faced challenges during his outing, giving up four runs on six hits over five innings. The lefty notched two strikeouts and allowed one walk.
Looking ahead, RHP Jack Flaherty is set to make his 2025 debut after returning to Detroit from the Dodgers. Meanwhile, RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto, with a record of 1-0 and a 1.80 ERA, will take the mound for Los Angeles.