Dodgers set new Opening Day record

The Dodgers brought the lumber, kicking off the 2019 regular season at home against the Diamondbacks on Thursday afternoon. The club mashed eight home runs, setting a new Opening Day record. The previous record was six, accomplished only twice: by the White Sox against the Royals on March 29 last year, and by the Mets against the Expos on April 4, 1988.

The dingers:

Eight-homer games don’t happen often after Opening Day, either. The Dodgers’ outburst on Thursday was just the 25th eight-homer game since 1908, according to Baseball Reference. It’s the sixth eight-homer game since 2010.

The Dodgers went on to win 12-5. The eight homers allowed marks a new record for D-Backs pitching in a single game. Their previous record was six homers allowed, accomplished on seven different occasions.

Brewers center fielder Lorenzo Cain ended Opening Day in style, robbing José Martínez of a game-tying solo home run with two outs in the top of the ninth inning.

Lefty reliever Josh Hader was on for his second inning of work after striking out the side in the top of the eighth. He got Yadier Molina to fly out, then struck out Dexter Fowler to bring up Martínez. Martínez took an inside fastball for ball one, then ripped a second fastball that caught a bit too much of the plate to right-center field. Cain, who somehow has never won a Gold Glove Award, gave chase. He slowed down at the warning track, timing his leap just in front of the Cardinals’ bullpen. As replays showed, the ball indeed would’ve slipped just over the fence if not for Cain’s effort.

The Brewers won 5-4. Hader got the save. Starter Jhoulys Chacín — who homered — got the win. Miles Mikolas was saddled with the loss.

source: nbcnews.com