Dodgers bring the heat as stars swing for fences in NLDS opener against Braves
Teoscar Hernandez kicked off the scoring for the Dodgers in Game 1 of the NLDS as the California heat wave is taking its toll on baseball fans at Dodger Stadium.
Hernandez hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the fourth inning off of Braves reliever Victor Mederos to bring home Freddie Freeman who was on first after a walk.
Dodgers ace Tarik Skubal shined in first five innings of his start, allowing no runs and one hit until Braves catcher Sean Murphy blasted a solo home run in the top of the sixth inning to bring the score to 2-1. Skubal was pulled from the mound after six innings of work.
The Dodgers big offseason acquisition Kyle Tucker made his presence felt with a two-run blast of his own in the bottom of the sixth inning. In the same inning, Max Muncy hit a solo homer to extend LA’s lead 5-1.
With Saturday being the first day of a heatwave that’s expected to linger through mid-October, the fans are certainly feeling the effects of the triple-digit temperatures.
As fans started to enter the gates of the stadium, journalist Arash Markazi reported that they were being greeted with complimentary Dasani water bottles and were also being given free Gatorade as a way to keep them hydrated.
Markazi continued to post more videos of fans trying to cool off as they were gathering in front of large fan misters and were also purchasing personal-sized ones for $28. Before first pitch, he posted a video of the fans gathering under the shaded area behind center field, doing their best to cool off.
As the game was about to begin, the live broadcast showed the fans trying to avoid the sun beating down on them by stashing the complimentary towels they were given underneath their hats while covering their necks. They were also seen waving themselves with personalized fans.
Video journalist Steve Saldivar reported that during the pregame flyover, the temperature was already at a scorching level of 102 degrees.
But still, the harsh conditions weren’t enough to keep the Dodgers fan base from soaking up the sun.
On X, the account @MooneyOwnsYou posted a video of a shirtless Dodgers fan soaking in the heat, wearing nothing but a pair of shorts and flip-flops, with two empty Dos Equis beer cans next to him.
@SoCalEricLittle posted photos on his X account of the Dodgers fans enduring long traffic lines to enter the stadium, while finding their seats during pregame.
When the game officially started, it was already starting to look like a packed house, as fans were seen filling in the outfield and the shaded areas in the stadium.