Mookie's heroics ignite LA's 1st packed house

LOS ANGELES -- Mookie Betts was the final piece to the puzzle that helped the Dodgers snap a 32-year championship drought last season. While he made plenty of spectacular plays during the postseason, Betts hadn’t enjoyed the loud roar of a packed Dodger Stadium.

It took much longer than expected, but Betts made the wait worth it. The former MVP recorded three hits on Tuesday, including the go-ahead homer in the seventh inning of the Dodgers’ 5-3 win over the Phillies, sending the sold-out crowd of 52,078 into a frenzy. It was the largest crowd for a professional sports league game in the United States since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.

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One of those fans took home a nice souvenir, as she made a nice grab on the Betts home run, all while wearing the outfielder’s No. 50 jersey.

“It was a great feeling knowing that they’re finally cheering on my behalf,” Betts said. “I definitely, definitely soaked it all in while I could.”

The first two months of the season were not what Betts and the Dodgers had in mind. Betts dealt with nagging back, forearm and shoulder injuries. He even missed a game after battling an allergic reaction that affected his eyesight. Through it all, Betts’ production at the plate was affected.

Still, Betts was able to be an above-average hitter. The problem is that Betts isn’t content with just being above-average. Over the last two weeks, he has looked more like the player everyone has been accustomed to seeing: a perennial MVP candidate.

With the 3-for-5 performance, Betts is hitting .296 (16-for-54) in his last 14 games. More importantly, however, Betts has found his power. He has hit three homers in his last six games, including the clutch shot on Tuesday off left-hander Ranger Suárez. It was only the second homer of the season off a southpaw for Betts, an area he would like to improve.

Betts was hesitant to say that his recent production is a sign that he’s fully locked in at the plate, but he mentioned that he’s getting closer to finding his swing. He has credited his recent success to being more aggressive on pitches in the zone than he was at the beginning of the season.

“I’m trying to take it one day at a time,” Betts said. “All it takes is a pitch or one swing, but I’ve been so in and out that it’s been kind of tough [to find a rhythm].”

Betts’ late-inning heroics were enough for the Dodgers, who have won seven of their last eight games and are just one game behind the Giants in the NL West. Julio Urías allowed three runs (two earned) over 5 2/3 innings and recorded an RBI double in the fourth, the fifth consecutive start in which he drove in at least one run.

The bullpen, which was a bit shorthanded, was stellar yet again. Victor González got out of a tough spot in the sixth inning, and Phil Bickford got out of a two-on, no-out jam in the eighth. Blake Treinen filled in for Kenley Jansen in the ninth and recorded his third save of the season.

“It was a team win, it really was,” said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. “To just kind of make a decision that you want to take care of guys in the ‘pen and not overuse them and listen to them and make sure you don’t put them in harm's way. I felt good with Phil in that run of hitters, and he made pitches when he needed to.”

The night began with country star Brad Paisley singing the national anthem and the Dodgers receiving their ESPY for best championship moment. It ended with the sold-out crowd serenading Betts. That’s something Dodgers fans weren’t able to do last year, but something they hope to do a lot more of moving forward.

“Our fans, as far as full capacity, haven’t been able to watch him in person for quite some time. I think you can say most fans haven’t had that chance,” Roberts said. “For them to get here and hope that your superstar player performs and [hits] a go-ahead homer. For us to finish it like that, was good.”