NEW YORK — If you asked any baseball fan who they’d expect to see in the 2020 World Series, more than likely, they would have uttered the names of the two teams that captivated Opening Day Thursday night. Both the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers added a tally mark in the win column as the 2020 season is underway.
Stanton & Cole Dominate in Nation’s Capital 🇺🇸
After Dr. Anthony Fauci threw a not-so successful first pitch, the Yankees and Washington Nationals rang in the 2020 baseball year. The Yankees caught onto a 4-1 lead but did not need Zach Britton to close the game. Instead, a dense cloud hovered over Nationals Park — spewing lightning and thunder — called the shots, closing the game before any relief pitcher could touch the mound.
Before the dark clouds made an appearance at Nationals Park, the Yankees leaped into the lead with the help of a monsterous 459-foot 2-run home run off the bat of Giancarlo Stanton in the first inning.
A 459-foot #StantonSmash to start the season. 😱
Tag your favorite team and use #BudLightHomers & #Sweepstakes for your chance to win an authentic 2020 HR ball! pic.twitter.com/jddw6gMdmS
— MLB (@MLB) July 24, 2020
Quick thinking and speedy baserunning by Tyler Wade gave the Yankees a one-run edge in the third inning. Gio Urshela crossed the diamond for the fourth run with the help of a Giancarlo Stanton single in the fourth inning. The Yankees were declared the winner after the game was called after five innings due to continuous downpour in D.C.
Despite Nationals ace Max Scherzer striking out 10 Yankees batters, it was not enough firepower to give the defending champions the break they needed in the short lived opener.
Yankees ace Gerrit Cole looked polished on the mound and could not contain his excitement after earning his first win in pinstripes. “It exceeded every mark (of expectations),” Cole giddily said in his postgame interview, “I just had a blast. It was so much fun.”
Kiké Shines, Leads Dodgers to Victory over Giants 🇵🇷🌴
Puerto Rico native Kiké Hernández powered the Dodgers offense to their first victory of the year as he drove in five RBI on four hits in the Dodger 6-1 win over the San Francisco Giants at Dodgers Stadium. Hernández became the first Dodger to accumulate five-plus RBI and four-plus hits since Raul Mondesi on Opening Day in 1999.
Four hits, five RBI. @kikehndez had himself a stellar #OpeningDay.
(MLB x @GEICO) pic.twitter.com/5RZDaBtrMW
— MLB (@MLB) July 24, 2020
Hernández was able to thrive in the batter’s box while gaining support from 22-year-old rookie Dustin May on the mound — who took the starting nod after Cy Young winner Clayton Kershaw was placed on the 10-day injured list with back stiffness.
It was a steady pitching duel between May and Giants All-Star Johnny Cueto, who both gave up a run while they inhabited the mound early on in the evening. It wasn’t until Hernández broke open the game in the bottom of the seventh inning with a two-run single that allowed the Dodgers to maintain a cushioned lead against the Giants.
“It was a great night,” Hernández said following the Dodgers win. “It’s something I put a lot of work in and tried to stay consistent and not do too much. That’s basically the approach I took tonight and it paid off and hopefully I can have a few more of those days.”
Black Lives Matter
Prior to both games, all four teams that geared up for Opening Day gathered onto the field and kneeled along the third and first base foul line — while socially distant — and paid homage to the Black Lives Matter movement that has called for action against the injustices and systematic racism that is present in the nation.
Mookie Betts takes a knee during the National Anthem, supported by teammates Cody Bellinger and Max Muncy. pic.twitter.com/OJyZ84hMLV
— MLB (@MLB) July 24, 2020
