Spanish
Los Angeles. — Dominican outfielder Andy Pagés put any doubts about his recent performance behind him by hitting a decisive three-run home run that led the Los Angeles Dodgers to an 8-2 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks, on Opening Day held at Dodger Stadium.
You may be interested in: Trout and Soriano lead Angels' victory
The day was marked by a festive atmosphere after the raising of the 2025 World Series champions' flag, where the Dodgers celebrated their consecutive titles. In that scenario, Pagés became the protagonist by hitting the team's first home run in their attempt at a three-peat. The hit came in the fifth inning, when Los Angeles reacted offensively. Max Muncy and Teóscar Hernández opened the inning with hits, preparing the ground for Pagés's home run to left field, which turned the scoreboard around. In the mound, Japanese Yoshinobu Yamamoto had a solid start in his season debut, working six innings in which he allowed only a two-run home run. After Pagés' home run, the Dodgers didn't slow down. The opposing starting pitcher, Zac Gallen, was punished in that fifth inning and left the game after allowing five batters to reach base without outs. Subsequently, Will Smith added a run with a run-scoring single. The Los Angeles offense completed a resounding comeback, scoring eight unanswered runs after being down 2-0. Another novelty was the contribution of the newcomer Kyle Tucker, who connected his first hit with the team: a run-scoring double in the seventh inning that extended the lead. Pagés, who in 2025 led the Dodgers in home runs among players not named Shohei Ohtani with 27, sent a clear message at the start of the new season: his offensive power remains a key piece within a lineup that looks deeper and more dangerous than ever.
