Dodgers: Opening Day Is Always One for the Ages

2000s

While the Dodgers were a pedestrian 5-5 in home openers in the 2000s, the decade opened in fun fashion as Hershiser allowed one run over six innings in an 8-1 victory over the Cincinnati Reds, followed by a 1-0 victory over Milwaukee in 2001 behind seven shutout innings from Chan Ho Park.

Brown got lit up for seven earned runs in four innings against the Giants in 2002, followed by home opener losses to Arizona in 2003 and San Diego in 2004.

The home opener of the decade was a 2005 tussle with the Giants. Jeff Weaver faced Kirk Rueter … and neither made it past the fifth inning. Weaver gave up five runs in the first and eight over three innings. Rueter gave up two in the first and one in the second.

The Giants led, 8-5, entering the bottom of the ninth with closer Armando Benitez on the mound to face Jason Phillips, Ricky Ledee, and Cesar Izturis. With the bases loaded and two outs, Jeff Kent drew an RBI walk, bringing Milton Bradley to the plate.

Bradley stroked a 2-2 pitch into left field, scoring Izturis and J.D. Drew. An error by left fielder Jason Ellison allowed Kent to score all the way from first for an improbable 9-8 victory.

An 11-1 whipping of the Giants in 2009 was a great way to end the decade. I can still see it like it was yesterday as Orlando Hudson slid headfirst into third base to complete the cycle, the first Dodger cycle since Wes Parker in 1970.

Hudson’s first three at-bats that game resulted in an infield single, a home run and a double … off Randy Johnson! Johnson, by the way, gave up seven earned runs and didn’t make it out of the third inning.