Game #28-Dodgers Stadium - Dodgers vs. Athletics

It was a beautiful Southern California day on Wednesday, August 2, 2023 when we set out for Dodgers Stadium our 28th ballpark in our “Field of Dreams Tour.” That is until traffic! We scheduled a Dodgers Stadium ballpark tour at 4:00pm and barely made it even though we planned an extra hour for traffic. Suffice it to say it was a stressful drive! Once we got to the stadium we did not have the extra time we thought we would have to take photos around the exterior of the ballpark because we were late for our tour. I have to admit this is probably my most difficult blog to write and the most difficult stadium for me to attend because my blood runs Giants orange. Let’s just say I do it in the name of LOVE for my Dodger fan husband. Fortunately we had a wonderful tour guide named Cat that quickly helped to evaporate the stress of our dreadful drive. Cat gave us loads of information about the Dodgers and Dodgers Stadium as she took us through the stadium. Several places we were able to visit are not open to the general public which made the tour really special. The Los Angeles Dodgers began in Brooklyn in 1883 therefore they have a rich history with many accomplishments. Back when they were the Brooklyn Dodgers they had a fierce crosstown rivalry with the New York Yankees. The two clubs faced each other in the World Series seven times, with the Dodgers losing the first five matchups before defeating them to win the franchise's first title in 1955. It was also during this period that the Dodgers made history by breaking the baseball color line in 1947 with the addition of Jackie Robinson, the first African American to play in Major League Baseball. The Dodgers left Brooklyn and moved to Los Angeles in 1958 playing their first four seasons at the Los Angeles Coliseum with one of those seasons, 1959 leading to another World Series Championship. Dodger Stadium opened in 1962 where I remember some of the players from the 1960s as a child when I attended Giants vs. Dodgers games at Candlestick Park. Who doesn’t remember ace pitchers Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale? These amazing baseball players were instrumental in two more World Series titles for the Dodgers in 1963 and 1965. Boy is this hard to write about! Then a drought of titles would endure for the Dodgers until the 1980’s. Jim fondly remembers this decade and especially Fernando Valenzuela the pitching sensation for the Dodgers leading to two more World Series titles in 1981 and 1988. If fact the Dodgers are retiring Valenzuela’s number 34 on Friday, August 11, 2023. Current Dodgers retired numbers are: #1 Pee Wee Reese, #2 Tommy Lasorda, #4 Duke Snider, #14 Gil Hodges, #19 Jim Gilliam, #20 Don Sutton, #24 Walter Alston, #32 Sandy Koufax, #39 Roy, Campanella, #42 Jackie Robinson, #53 Don Drysdale. After a 32-year drought, which included 12 postseason appearances and 8 consecutive division titles the Dodgers won the 2020 World Series Championship. Some would say it should have an asterisk next to it because of the 60 game season due to the COVID pandemic. Let’s just say in my household according to my wedding vows and to keep the peace there is no talk of an asterisk. The Dodgers maintain a fierce rivalry with the San Francisco Giants dating way back to when they were both in New York. If anyone wants evidence of this just be within one mile of the Bray’s house when the Giants play the Dodgers. It’s rough! Dodger Stadium is the 3rd oldest ballpark in MLB, after Fenway Park (1912) and Wrigley Field (1914). It is also the largest baseball stadium in the world by seat capacity. I can vouch for that as we put on about 10,000 steps at the stadium according to our Apple watches. The stadium features statues of Jackie Robinson and Sandy Koufax as well as a Tommy Lasorda bobblehead. See our pictures on Instagram @ourfieldofdreams2023. Dodger Stadium is the only stadium in MLB with an officially accredited botanic garden. I must say the gardens are very beautiful and the pictures I put on Instagram do not do it justice. Along our tour we were taken to section that houses an amazing display of Awards by the Dodgers. I had to swallow a big gulp of my Giants pride as I surveyed the hundreds of trophies and awards over the years won by the Dodgers. I have to say they way this memorabilia was showcased was very impressive. Awards include: National League MVP, World Series Trophies, Cy Young Awards, Golden Gloves, Rookie of the Year, Silver Slugger Awards and Manager of the Year. I think I should mention that Jim’s stature and mine were remarkably different as we walked through this area. One thing we found fascinating were the copies of the player and manager contracts displayed from years ago. Sandy Koufax in 1959 paid $15,000; Don Drysdale in 1958 paid $12,500; Manager Walter Alston in 1969 paid $60,000; and Tommy Lasorda in 1978 paid $75,000. Things have changed dramatically! One of the most heart touching moments even for me a Giants fan was the area that is dedicated to Vin Scully. We saw the press box area dedicated to Vin Scully and several pieces of memorabilia showcased. It just so happens that the date of our visit to the ballpark marks the one year anniversary of Vin Scully’s death. Another interesting fact we also learned is there are only three MLB teams without official mascots; Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees and the Los Angeles Angels. I always love the spirit that a mascot brings to the crowd. As we finished our tour we were able to take in some of the batting practice and warmup by the Dodgers and Oakland A’s. One sweet moment was seeing Clayton Kershaw on the field with I am assuming one of his four children. See picture on Instagram. After watching batting practice we asked our tour guide Cat for hot dog recommendations. Cat of course recommended the Dodger Dog and told us previously they had a variety of hot dogs they sold according to the team they were playing but that has since been discontinued. We ended up getting the traditional Dodger Dog which Jim Bray the Hot Dog Man gave an 8.0. I must say this rating surprised many of our friends and family, but perhaps it was that Jim was a little under the weather due to laryngitis. Since I am not a hot dog fan I set out to find something other than a hot dog to eat. This proved to be very difficult as 80% of the stands sold Dodger Dogs. When I found the area with other options like Shake Shack or Taqueria the lines were way too long to wait in so I left that area and found a secret gem in the Loge level first base side, King’s Hawaiian. I got a pulled pork slider that was very tasty and yes I shared with Jim who agreed it was delicious. As the first pitch drew near we took our seats in time for the National Anthem. Tonight the Dodgers are celebrating Filipino Heritage Night so they sang the National Anthem of the Philippines and the American National Anthem. First pitch with a crowd of 47,711 in a 56,000 capacity stadium was at 7:10pm. Tonight the Dodgers play the Oakland A’s who have the worst record in baseball this season with only 30 wins and 80 losses. You have to feel kind of bad for them. The 1st inning set the stage for what would be the game with the Dodgers dominating. Bottom of the 1st Mookie Betts hits a double followed by Freddie Freeman’s single to score Mookie Betts. Score A’s 0 - Dodgers 1. Then Will Smith and Max Muncy walked with Chris Taylor following with a single to score Freddie Freeman. Score A’s 0 - Dodgers 2. Then James Outman would ground into a force out scoring Will Smith. Score A’s 0 - Dodgers 3. The 2nd inning would continue the dominance by the Dodgers. In the top of the 2nd inning the A’s would go three up and three down. The bottom of the 2nd inning Mookie Betts hit homer number 29 and the crowd went wild! The new LED lights installed this season create some really cool effects after a home run. Next to the plate Freddie Freeman who hit a double followed by Will Smith who hit a double. Score A’s 0 - Dodgers 5. Next to the plate recent acquisition, Amed Rosario who would go yard. Score A’s 0 - Dodgers 7. The game was starting off very lopsided and even though in “Our Field of Dreams” rules we cheer for the home team unless the visiting team is the Dodgers or Giants, silently (very silently) I was cheering just a little for the A’s. The top fo the 3rd inning the A’s would show just a little life, in fact the only life they would show the entire game. Shea Langeliers first to the plate would hit a homer for the A’s. Score A’s 1 - Dodgers 7. In the bottom of the 3rd inning Dodgers Miguel Rojas would hit a hard hit homer into the left center field seats. Score A’s 1 - Dodgers 8. By this time the Dodgers were pulling out some of their key starters like Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman. The next score would come in the bottom of the 6th inning when Jason Heyward hit a homer to center field. Those new Dodger LED lights were getting a workout!. Score A’s 1 - Dodgers 9. In the bottom of the 7th inning the Dodgers were not done putting numbers on the board. James Outman hit a double followed by Enrique “Kike” Hernandez, who just returned to the Dodgers, hitting a single scoring Outman. Score A’s 1 - Dodgers 10. The 8th and 9th innings would go scoreless with the final score A’s 1 - Dodgers 10. That brings our Field of Dreams Tour to 13 WINS for the Home Team and 15 LOSSES for the Home Team. On Monday, August 7 we will travel to San Diego to Petco Park to see the Padres vs. Dodgers game. You know what that means as per our agreement…..we will both be cheering for the Dodgers. Oh how painful this is for me as a Giants fan, but I will do it seeing as I subjected Jim to five games where he had to cheer for the Giants on Our Field of Dreams Tour. Until next time PLAY BALL!