Dodgers score five in fourth inning, start 2022 season with win over Rockies
The Dodgers started the 2022 season off with a bang Friday afternoon, using a five-run fourth inning to defeat the Colorado Rockies to start the season 1-0.
Despite falling behind early on in the second inning, when LA starter Walker Buehler allowed a pair of runs to the Rockies, on an RBI groundout from newly-acquired Randal Grichuk and an RBI single just two batters later from another new face in shortstop Jose Iglesias, the Boys in Blue bounced back in a big way.
The brief scoring onslaught, which lasted for just the top of the fourth inning, saw the Dodgers strike for five runs on five hits.
It began with a Gavin Lux single that drove in both Will Smith and Chris Taylor, who had previously reached base with their own hits a few batters earlier.
Mookie Betts doubled promptly after, scoring Lux from first and giving the Dodgers the 3-2 lead. Freddie Freeman then drew a walk and a pitching change sending Colorado starter Kyle Freeland to the showers after just 4.2 innings pitched.
With Tyler Kinley on the mound, the Dodgers scored again on a Trea Turner single that scored Betts and a wild pitch that Freeman was able to advance on, putting them up 5-2.
LA's brand new closer, Craig Kimbrel, shut the door on a potential comeback from the Rockies, after a pair of doubles from Elias Diaz and Charlie Blackmon scored one in the bottom of the ninth, before striking Kris Bryant out to end the game.
Buehler earned the win, going five innings and striking out five allowing to runs and two walks on just 76 pitches. The Dodgers threw five players on the mound, as Brusdar Graterol, Blake Treinen and Daniel Hudson all earned holds on the contest.
Cody Bellinger and Justin Turner were the only two players without a hit in the game, while all of the first four batters in the Dodgers lineup (Betts, Freeman, T. Turner, J. Turner) struck out twice.
The 5-3 victory is the third Opening Day win for the Boys in Blue in the last four years.