Dodgers take on Diamondbacks in a three-game series starting tomorrow

LOS ANGELES - The Dodgers' second homestand of the 2014 season begins with a three-game series against the Arizona Diamondbacks, starting tomorrow at 7:10 p.m. (LHP Wade Miley vs. RHP Zack Greinke). The Dodgers announced yesterday that auto gates will now open 2.5 hours before game time on a permanent basis and the stadium gates will open two hours before the scheduled first pitch. All auto gates tomorrow open at 4:30 p.m. and all stadium gates open at 5:00 p.m.

Fans taking advantage of this early arrival time can enjoy various family-friendly activities as soon as gates open throughout Dodger Stadium including in the newly enhanced right and left-field pavilion plazas which feature the Budweiser and Bud Light bullpen overlook bars and the new Tommy Lasorda Trattoria and the Think Blue BBQ. Musical entertainment is provided on Sundays in the left and right-field reserve plazas. In the left and right-field pavilion plazas, there are also plenty of photo opportunities with Dodger memorabilia, including five-foot diameter World Series rings, an eight-foot replica of the Rawlings Gold Glove Award, a life-size statue of the iconic Farmer John Dodger Dog, interactive replicas of the 76 ball and various bobbleheads. Autographs for fans with Dodger Alumni League members also take place before each game in the pavilion plaza areas.

The Dodgers take on the Diamondbacks again at 5:10 p.m. on Saturday, April 19 (TBD vs. RHP Dan Haren). All auto gates open at 2:30 p.m. and all stadium gates open at 3:00 p.m. Saturday. The Dodgers' three-game series against the Diamondbacks concludes Sunday with a 1:10 p.m. contest (TBD vs. RHP Josh Beckett), with all auto gates opening at 10:30 a.m. and all stadium gates at 11:00 a.m. Saturday's game is sold out.

Tomorrow fans are invited down onto the field for Friday Night Fireworks presented by Denny's immediately following the game. The fireworks show will be set to today's popular music. Actor Marlon Wayans will throw the ceremonial first pitch and officially start the game with "It's Time for Dodger Baseball!" The national anthem will be performed by Country Music Awards' "New Artist to Watch," 15-year-old Lizzie Sider. Dodger Alumni League member Dennis Powell will sign autographs in the right-field pavilion plaza and Alumni Leaguer Billy Ashley will sign autographs in the left-field pavilion plaza from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. A DJ will also provide musical entertainment in the right-field pavilion plaza and face painters, caricature artist and a balloon maker will be in the right and left-field pavilion plazas. Tomorrow is also the 11th Annual LA County Night which has raised more than $62,000 for the March of Dimes since its inaugural night at Dodger Stadium. LA County CEO Bill Fujioka will throw the first pitch. More information on fundraising at Dodger Stadium can be found by visiting www.dodgers.com/groups.

The Veteran of the Game presented by Bank of America is U.S. Army Specialist Monica Faraldo of Los Angeles. Faraldo enlisted in 2005, served with the 7-101 Aviation Battalion 101st Airborne as a Chaplain Assistant and has been stationed at Fort Campbell and deployed to Bagram, Afghanistan. Her accolades include the Army Commendation Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and the Afghanistan Campaign Medal. 

The Dodgers announced today a new community program, Kids 4 Dodgers Baseball, which provides Los Angeles area inner-city youth with a Dodger game experience courtesy of the Dodgers. Transportation to and from Dodger Stadium in a customized Dodger bus, Reserve level tickets, a voucher for a Dodger Dog and beverage and a Kids 4 Dodgers Baseball T-shirt are included. Tomorrow 250 youngsters from Catholic Charities of Los Angeles will attend. Catholic Charities is a non-profit gang prevention youth center located in Wilmington.

Tomorrow, Friday, April 18

On Saturday, the Dodgers take on the Diamondbacks at 5:10 p.m. All auto gates open at 2:30 p.m. and all stadium gates open at 3:00 p.m. The first 40,000 fans in attendance will receive a Dodger Welcome Mat presented by New Era. The national anthem will be performed by saxophonist and Copenhagen, Denmark native Michael Lington, whose new album Soul Appeal has been No. 1 on the contemporary jazz radio charts for seven consecutive weeks. Al Downing will sign autographs in the right-field pavilion plaza and "Sweet" Lou Johnson will sign autographs in the left-field pavilion plaza from 3:00 p.m. to 5:10 p.m. A DJ will also provide musical entertainment in the right-field pavilion plaza.

As part of Kids 4 Dodgers Baseball, 250 youngsters from Phoenix Continuation School, which serves at-risk high school students, and The West Angeles Church Youth group located in South LA, which serves youth ages 5 to 18 from surrounding urban communities, will also be in attendance. Kids 4 Dodgers Baseball provides Los Angeles area inner-city youth with a Dodger game experience courtesy of the Dodgers. Transportation to and from Dodger Stadium in a customized Dodger bus, Reserve level tickets, a voucher for a Dodger Dog and beverage and a Kids 4 Dodgers Baseball T-shirt are included.

The Veteran of the Game presented by Bank of America is U.S. Marine Corps Corporal Ryan Provasi of Santa Clarita. Provasi enlisted in 2008 and served with the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Division based out of Camp Pendleton as an Infantryman. In 2009, his unit was deployed to the Sangin Valley in the Helmand Province of Afghanistan in which his unit suffered tremendous loss with more than 20 members killed in action and 200 wounded. Provasi was honorably discharged in 2013 and his accolades include the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Combat Action Medal and the Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal. 

Saturday, April 19

The Dodgers' three-game series against Arizona concludes Sunday at 1:10 p.m. All auto gates opening at 10:30 a.m. and all stadium gates open at 11:00 a.m. Viva Los Dodgers, presented by State Farm, Chevrolet and Time Warner Cable, in lot 6 begins at 10:30 a.m. and will feature autographs by Dodger Alumni Leaguer Derrel Thomas and musical entertainment will be provided by singer, songwriter, dancer and choreographer RENZO whose style blends classic merengue with R & B and Pop. His debut track "Mi Favorita" charted at No. 3 on Billboard Tropical Airplay. La Sirena y Orquesta Mar de Ashe will also present an eclectic variety of danceable Salsa, Latin Jazz, Bachata, Merengue, Cumbia, Cha Cha, Son and Bolero.

Sunday's "Héroe de la Comunidad" honoree at Viva Los Dodgers is Sandra Figueroa-Villa, Executive Director of El Centro del Pueblo. El Centro del Pueblo provides social services such as counseling, drug prevention, social rehabilitation, employment, education, health services, HIV/AIDS education and prevention and youth services. Adrian Gonzalez, through the Adrian Gonzalez's Viva Los Dodgers community program, will provide all-inclusive tickets and parking for families in greater Los Angeles by partnering with various non-profit organizations. This Sunday, Gonzalez will also host families from El Centro del Pueblo. All Dodger fans are welcome at Viva Los Dodgers and the event is free with a ticket to the day's game.

The national anthem and "God Bless America" will be performed by Luz Rios, Latin GRAMMY® Award Nominated singer (2009 Best New Artist, Best Female Pop Vocal Album). Dodger Alumni League member Kenny Landreaux will sign autographs in the left-field pavilion plaza from 11:00 a.m. to 1:10 p.m. The Veteran of the Game presented by Bank of America is U.S. Army Reserves Specialist Jaime Fernandez, Jr. of Downey. Fernandez enlisted eight days after the September 11 attacks and serves with the 394th Adjutant General Company in Long Beach. He was deployed to Iraq in 2003. Fernandez had an L.A. Dodger flag on the ½ ton truck he drove in Iraq and his accolades include the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and the Army Commendation Medal. 

Sunday, April 20

Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw is featured on the cover of April's Dodger Insider on sale now. Dodger Insider's April magazine contains more than 30 stories, touching nearly every aspect of the organization on and off the field. Dodger Insider serves as a companion to the Dodger Insider blog, located at www.dodgers.com/insider and published multiple times daily. Dodger Insider magazine and the 2014 Los Angeles Dodgers Yearbook are on sale throughout Dodger Stadium, including the Top of the Park store and online at www.dodgers.com/magazine. Subscriptions to the magazine can be ordered at any time. A digital version of Dodger Insider magazine, featuring embedded video links, is also available.

As part of Fender's partnership with MLB, fans can now purchase collectible Dodger-themed electric guitars at official team stores throughout Dodger Stadium. The guitars feature Los Angeles' official logos along with custom designed imagery of the mountains and palm trees surrounding LA, as well as a MLB logo adorning the guitar's neck plate.

Saturday's game is sold out. Tickets are available for tomorrow and Sunday's games against the Diamondbacks and can be purchased by visiting www.dodgers.com/tickets or by calling (323) DODGERS.

The Dodgers offer one of the best values in Los Angeles and all of sports with season tickets starting at $14 per seat per game. More information on season tickets can be found by visiting www.dodgers.com/seasontickets or by calling (323) DODGERS.

Fans are urged to arrive early and they are encouraged to utilize the many transportation alternatives that serve Union Station and will connect them to the Dodger Stadium Express, which will operate starting 90 minutes prior to first pitch. Fans can find specific route and schedule information by visiting www.metro.net or calling 323.GO.METRO (323.466.3876). Dodger Stadium transportation and parking information can be found by visiting www.dodgers.com/parking.

Media interested in applying for daily credentials should apply 24 hours prior to game time at http://credentials.mlb.com. For any questions on credentials or on the series against the Diamondbacks, please contact the Dodgers' Public Relations department by calling (323) 224-1301.