so almost ready to get underway and on the hill for the Dodgers Walker bu and singy we were talking earlier about how he's doing a great job navigating through tough spots I've just been so impressed with when it seems like there's more pressure he's more calm and settles in he's done an incredible job with runners in scoring position most guys that get a little tight they start to aim the baseball but for some reason he gets looser the ball comes out of his hand with more life and he's able to wiggle off the hook of you know tough situations and get his team back in the Dugout next offering upstairs and a breaking ball drops in for a strike [Applause] another one two that one 95 to finish him off and that's the first strike out of his major league career and it could be the first to many if he meets the goals he's set for himself and the expectations others have for him he doesn't want to just win games he wants to dominate at this level do you think Young pitchers can sometimes get too caught up in try to rack up KS early in their career Bo I think they can it's kind of like a hitter that doesn't have power The Thrill is still hitting the ball over the fence and so for a guy even if he doesn't have power stuff or strike out stuff a strike out is still something that makes him stick his chest out a little bit further two balls at a strike Here Comes swing and a miss and that's strike two [Applause] the pitch on the ground right side Lux throws to First In Time quick start here this evening two out top of the first time now for the Chicago Cubs lineup one guy leading the way offensively for this club right now her and he's the table setter for this offense team leader an on base percentage I mean that just gives your teammates plenty of chances to cash in and bring him around the score man I used to love when I had a guy out in second base or third base easy to get those RBI game after game you know a guy like this what he's going to provide and the opportunities that other guys are going to get in the lineup missed with a change up and the count one and two and a pop up right side foul territory Freeman makes the catch and that is that three up three down for the Cubs and now the Dodgers get a crack at it no score Major League Baseball is on the show and we're back pitching for the Cubs in this one Kyle Hendricks and singing a special day for him he's making his major league debut here and I'm sure he's got some nerves he'll be excited for that first pitch to be in and over with so that he can settle in to pitching just like he did in the minor leagues exciting moment he's got his family in town I think This Moment's going to be a huge tone Setter for his [Applause] career and he deals got him swinging had him out frontt for strike three oh there's a small side of relief right there I mean just to keep that speed off the base pass it's not just the pitcher it's other guys that have to think about it from your infielders have to think about that Runner potentially stealing but also be in position to make a play as an outfielder you're thinking about a base hit to the Outfield I got to get to it quickly to try to keep this guy from taking an extra base so I think everyone just a little more relaxed that he didn't reach base and there's a foul ball on the ground perner over to First here tonight an efficient start to the home first two away time to check out the Dodgers lineup singy this lineup has the benefit of playing behind a great pitching stat they've got a really low erra yeah and you know with that said there's not as much pressure on the offense but make no mistake about it play swon fires over to First and the Dodgers are set down in order nothing do it second inning set to go here's Cody Bellinger bu back to work now highfly ball out to left Center sizes this one up brings it in and there's one down Isaac Brady now trying to pick up his first knock in the big leads that's in there that's strike one ber a 6-2 righty 185 lb a former first round pick back in 2015 headed towards the corner nice grab on the run two away two outs space is empty here's Nico horer first pitch not close wouldn't chase that time second inning here no [Music] score ground ball right side Lux to first and that's the third out so they go quietly there we go to the bottom of inning number two we're tied nothing nothing back here at Chavez Ravine bottom of the second here come the Dodgers no score here's the veteran outfielder tasar Hernandez that one in side one [Applause] [Music] and0 line drive Adam in center field man that's one of those adats where you have to remind yourself it's about the process he did everything right right there nothing to show for it but in your mind you have to convince yourself that it was a very good at bat Gavin Lux in the box now no balls in a strike well we that key Hing even though it's right there and looks pretty good if he doesn't love it he's not going to swing that early in the count out to Center for Armstrong pulls it in on the Run batting the CER Feld Tom Tommy Edmond at the plate looking for his first big league hit right here and he hits a ground ball right side into the Outfield face hit and that keeps the inning alive Here Comes Max munzy he has as they like to say let me guess boo Light Tower Power that's right Swang in a Miss it's own and one oh one's the [Applause] count here goes the runner fouled off he was late [Applause] up the middle in time to push they get the out on Muny gets him easily ends the inning one left for La we'll move to the third with no [Applause] score back here at Dodger Stadium top half of the third inning Danby Swanson stands in this one chopped on the ground but [Applause] foul and the pitch that's off the mark and that's ball one and strike two one ball two strikes and a onew the short stop takes the ball two ball two stri twings and misses it's a strike out slider got him for strike three well that right there is just a pitcher's pitch tailing away from The Hitter mowing away with some good action at the end you know even if he gets the back to that ball it's probably just a weak ground ball to the opposite side tell you what that's a tremendous two strike pitch Pete Crow Armstrong stands in now and watches strike one and ball one top of the third no [Applause] score missing inside and that's ball two that's to third throw on to Freeman two up two down and now it's Miguel Laya towards first the flip to the pitcher covering and it's a one two three inning nothing happening there for the Cubs back here in La as we go to the last of the third here's the short stop at the play Niguel Roos that one finds the zone and it's own and [Applause] one chopped to the left side paradus fires over to first one gone bottom of the third inning Austin Barnes getting ready to hit that misses the zone and it's one and0 count one [Applause] and0 hit on the ground to the right side steps on first for the [Music] out so the batting order turns over now a chance for sh Otani and first offering is fouled [Applause] off and that one hammered that's back out of here def flexes his power with that swing it's one nothing sh leaves his mark on every game he plays and he's done it again with the home run that's exactly the pitch he was looking for crushes it and hits it out of the ballpark [Music] Marcus Lyn Betts better known as mooki he had the opportunity to play in the soul series when the Dodgers kicked off their 2024 season in Korea yeah such a cool experience for both teams plus there was a car giveaway for the first player to hit a home run in the series The Winner Mookie Betts one run acrossing the frame so far here in the last half of the third in the air right field nabs it and that is that one scores in the inning coming on this solo home run it's now one nothing it's Major League Baseball on the show and welcome back to the ballart all set for the start of the inning in half up to hit ber back to work swing and a ground ball out to short roas with the throw to first one up one down and up next for Chicago Michael bus and there's one thing on his mind this at bat getting that first hit at the big league [Applause] level that misses the Zone ball one bces empty one away top half of inning number [Applause] four and now count one and two after the swing in the Miss swings through that and it's a strike out two away down I'm not sure that was the exact location the pitcher wanted but it he got the swing and miss and sure a sigh of relief after seeing that one go through the Zone seya Suzuki the next cup to hit and that's in the dir and that's ball one [Applause] and another ball the [Music] pitch that one misses and that's ball three there's a strike generally second third time through the lineup up you want to be able to lean on those secondary pitches and command them looks like he's doing a nice job of it Suzuki checks his swing now it appeal to First and he held up just enough that's Ball Four pretty easy walk right there last pitch wasn't even much to think about here comes Cody Bellinger he's over for one and immediately pumps in a strike to the left-handed hitter Suzuki off of first with two away and that's off the Inside Edge and that is ball one now one miss next offering upstairs one strike swings through that one for strike two great R Spot here just got to stay focused on the pitch the runner will be in motion so something in the Gap should definitely score fouled off again and it remains three and two righty to the plate keeps the Imp back going with a foul ball two outs got him looking and he did not like the call so it's no runs on and we're back joh jaby and Chris Singleton with you and leading off the bottom of the fourth Freddy Freeman [Music] Freeman and here comes and that one sliced foul he's been pitching well but going through this middle of the order second time through we'll see what kind of adjustments are being made SLA the other way foul and the righty deals light drive and it's stays fa makes the turn and heads for second and his first big league hit is a double here's teoscar Hernandez he's over one [Applause] ler caught it Second That Swing right there tells me he's seeing the ball pretty well I know it didn't produce a hit but he made Solid contact and that's all you're looking to do anytime you're at the plate Lux the next to hit takes ball one count one out and a runner at second we're here in the bottom of the [Applause] fourth ripped to Third and caught it's never fun going back to the a Dugout after hitting a line drive that finds a glove but you will get some high fives you know when you make great contact you feel like you've done everything right but in this game of baseball not everything is in your control Ed the next to hit takes [Applause] outside line to right and that'll be a base hit Freeman headed for the plate and he's out up down and that ends the inning well it's pretty difficult to throw a base runner out at the plate with two outs on a base hit to the Outfield but an back here at Chavez Ravine new inning getting started at a batter now isach paradus on the ground to the left Muny sends it to First and a quick out number one Nico hoer the next come to hit grounded out his first time up just missed the offense needs to start showing some fight against this starter he's doing his thing out there they're going to have to push back at some point and make him work a little bit harder swing and a miss and that one missed by a ton man that was pretty gross right [Applause] there swings and misses and the count is one and two inside and hit him got him right he had two strikes on him and he hit him one down now it's the short stop Dan B Swanson struck out swinging his first time slides but he can't come up with [Applause] it they get it in quickly so first and second now one out Dan B Swanson with his first major league and this is a moment I'm sure he'll never forget congrats yeah great moment for him and his family a guy works so hard and has to wait so long for this to happen and when it does can kind of be overwhelming Bo you still have to stay locked in on the game but it's great when you can take a minute to just appreciate what you've done and how hard you work to get here at the dish looking to look the ball in the air in this spot anything but the inning ending double play runs it up to 96 to record the Punch Out thought it was a pretty good pitch top of the strike zone we're seeing more fast balls in that location hitters especially when two strikes have to be ready to pull the trigger and now Miguel Laya that one catches the zone and that is strike one well he's been incredibly efficient this one first pitch strike percentage over 70% that's well above League average and that's what's allowed him to pitch well up into this point swing and a high fly ball down the left field line but hooking foul tying run and scoring position and we're at the top of the fif that one missing [Applause] low got swinging couple of strikeouts with Runners on sometimes you got a really bear down and he did just bottom of the inning [Applause] here's Max Muny that funky M the line of the pitch just missed you know these Dodgers digging into their numbers have to be happy with the swings they're taking they've been lining the ball all over the ball and unfortunately sometimes it's right into a glove but still they've hit nine line drives so far that's something they should feel very good about that's your Miguel roas at the play first time up he grounded to third speaking of those line drives you can't get too discouraged when they don't drop in for you it's important to remember that you pretty much did everything right and that's just baseball sometimes and that's a fair ball Austin bars digs in now 0 for one he ground it out his first it back and there's a ball [Applause] now a move being made for a pinch hitter Will Smith runner on First and one down [Applause] [Applause] for at the belt and fires that one fouled off [Applause] the one two gets a piece and stays [Applause] [Music] alive the other way and a base hit they fired in quickly so it's first and second with only one [Applause] away back to the top of the lineup sh Otani up to the dish he's already homered here in this [Applause] one and a base hit on the line Bellinger returns it to the infield stop sign goes up at third and the faces are loaded and now it's Ry BS opportunity right here hit hard should be exra bases one runs in another comes into score relay throw save he beats it it's for zip mie Bets with his first major league hit and this is a moment I'm sure he'll never forget congrats yeah great moment for new pitcher in the game for the c [Applause] number1 number 21 on for his major league debut so we'll see if he's ready for the big stage he just has to remember this is the same game that he's played all the way through the minor leagues to this point the only difference there just more people in the stands and it's a bigger Stadium but the game itself is still the same look at the catcher whatever fingers he puts down that's what you throw and just let him Lead You In This one up the middle oh look at the stop from his knees the throw and that's a great play for the out well you can see right there he looks very comfortable going to the backand nice diving stop gets up to play that'll fire the team up the and now Oscar Hernandez he swings and fouls one [Music] off chopped left side on to First and Hernandez is out and that'll keep more runs from coming in inning over mie staying in the game on defense Will Smith he takes somewhere behind the plate to do the catching after entering the game as a pinch [Music] [Applause] hitter pitching change here Alex via and this is the best way to make your major league debut no one on base yeah you're already going to be a little nervous out there so I think it's a nice job by the skipper to get him in here without any added pressure with traffic on the bases next offering is in for a strike half a switch hitter it can be challenging for guys at the big league level to maintain a good swing from both sides of the plate clearly he's got more Po from the left side but in 2022 the right side was respectable as well swing and a miss struck him out he had him out in front which isn't easy to do against a hitter like this known for using the entire field just couldn't sit back long enough on that [Music] one push up to hit for the Third time as he lays off inside ball one checks his swing appeal to third he did not go around out in front with the swing and that is strike one one strike into Center Edmond in position and they're two down two outs Bas is empty seya Suzuki the next to hit fast ball for a strike going [Applause] one there's a strike all right now he may have not liked either of those first two pitches or agreed with the umpire's calls but at this point he's going to have to bear down and be ready to hit anything close to the zone and a foul ball he stays alive two out space is empty and they'll do it again goes down looking three up three down that time we go to the bottom half of inning number six and the 567 back here at Dodgers Stadium ready to go for the last half of the inning and at the plate for the Dodgers Gavin Lux and first offering is fouled [Applause] off L to kick the pitch swing in a miss two down and air left side Fair ball around first and hustling for second and he's got a lead off double Gavin luxs with his first major league hit and this is a moment I'm sure he'll never forget congrats yeah great moment for him and lined into right pulls up and that's in there for a knock and they get it in quickly first and third now with nobody out Wast no time there just a solid swing right there caught it out front and ripped it into the Outfield with a base hit those always feel great mie digs in first pitch just [Applause] misses base hit and a run comes in and the batter will be the short stop Miguel Roos one for two and that's a base hit and they're happy to Play Station to Station right here Bas is loaded nobody out that's back to back singles for him nice line drive to the pul side right there but he didn't spin off of it that's the key you still have to extend the baseball in order to hit a line drive like that down the line nobody can get there and it's a foul ball he hit one run is in runner held it third and they'll be loaded again with nobody out well done drives in the Run solid swing from start to end on time with everything really good balance nice extension and and he made it out front for the line drive knock Otani in the Box here lets that one go for a ball swing and a highfly ball to left and they get Otani for the out both Runners tagging tag outed third and that's a double play but one run is in to score that's just a terrible decision to go for third right there I mean he was hosed by a lot not even close you got here comes the new arm for the CBS Jordan W on for his major league debut and a moment he will never forget better believe that it's always so special the first time you get into a big league ball game I did it as a position player but for him as a pitcher I'm sure there's some nerves there probably don't want to squeeze the baseball too tight just relax and do what you're capable of doing and it's fou away [Applause] swing at a bouncer perer slings to First and that'll do it top of inning number seven so now it's the Cubs hitter in the Four Hole Cody Bellinger the pitch ball one no strikes in there at the knees for a strike this sitation you expect the Batters to be a little more patient possibly take until they get a strike with that you don't want to miss your opportunity to get ahead early in the count he didn't right [Applause] there that's to third Muny tosses the first and the lead off hitter set down to open the seven digging in isach parus that's in there one one one out base is empty this to third Muny gathers and throws the first and two away to start the seven two outs Bas is empty and now it's going to be Nico ho and first off ring is fouled off that's a little bit High the Dodgers up big in this one here the top half of inning number seven swings and misses struck him out Cubs down bottom of the seven and at the plate for the Dodgers Freddy Freeman the line in the pitch late swing foul to the left and now the Lefty swinging a ground off the middle that's a base hit so a runner aboard to start the inning didn't try to do too much with it just a really controlled simple swing we don't see a whole lot of that these days with guys trying to launch and hit home runs but sometimes you got to shorten up just like that SCS to Center no doubt about it that is long gone his first Homer of the year it's N9 nothing wasn't fooled on the first pitch at all he squared it up right [Applause] [Music] [Applause] away with a low 90s fast ball you have to live on the edges and hit hit your spots if you don't you'll get hit hard really good swing there patient waited for it he like BP all over [Applause] again and now it's Gavin one for three and that is cut on and missed strike one plenty of offense to this one singy I guess you'd say kind of what we expected though well this was a game looking at the pitching matchup where you expected offense to score and not as lopsided as this but yeah you definitely expected to see some offense coming up nobody on nobody out here the bottom of the [Applause] seven swings through it and that's a strike out oh clearly just anxious right there and understandably so in an 02 count you feel like you've got a lot of plate to cover and you don't want to strike out and you end up striking out that's just one of those pitches where it's not over the plate but because you committed to it as it was leaving his hand by the time you realized it wasn't going to be in the zone it's too late to hold up your sway that one down the line and it goes just foul Feld two on the ground to Third and he can't come up with it and he's going to make it to First and we'll see how they score it and now it's Max munzy step off throw to first Edmond gets back easily hit on the ground might be two the throw to Second double play and that'll do it for the inning two-run shot for the Dodgers this inning it's now N9 nothing so remaining in the game defensively Kik Hernandez he entered the game to pinch hit and now man second base Dan B Swanson now at the plate and the pitch and it falls and the lead off man aboard now no waiting around right there he was ready to swing it on the first pitch with the way Defenders track down balls these days I mean now this ball is well hit this one's got a chance can't get there and now maybe extra bases into second with a double and they've got something Brewing now Miguel [Applause] Laya the next cup to hit not the easiest thing when you're talking about a guy that's you know perhaps was going to be in the rotation or maybe a long relief guy to not start an inning to come into it any with pressure on it and and try to get yourself comfortable right through there for a strike Swanson at third for Armstrong stands at second go out and that one a little below the knees and the count one and two struck Him Out Swinging slider got him for strike three stepping in in half over for three with two strikeouts and a ground out he swings and misses this is at the first pitch o and one that one pushed foul righty delivers smok to right center and this one's going to go out of here with this pitcher's velocity a change up is [Applause] new pitcher on here Evan Phillips he's been so good against lefties now the now at the plate Michael Bush that's in there and it's on and one oh one's the count and downstairs I got a ball one strike here comes a pitch that one the other way and there's a hit so they get a man aboard with a one out single and now the DH SE Suzuki part of the order coming through now and with one home run already in this inning they're definitely looking to do some more damage in for a strike and the count one and one hard ground ball base [Applause] now quick throw back in lead Runner holds it second with one gone and up to the plate comes Cody Bellinger 0 for three a fly out a ground out and a strike out Clips The Zone that's strike [Applause] one swing and a liner foul off to the right the pitch fights that one away and the count remains 0 and two fouled off the plate they'll do it [Applause] again Runners at first and second with one gone and we're in the top of the eighth gets a piece and it stays 0 and two and the rander deals Off the Mark there one and two the count well this is a guy that can be frustrating for pitchers because he fouls off so many pitches and grinds out the advat I'm sure there's sometimes where pitcher would rather just give up a first pitch single than have to waste six or seven pitches on one hitter two on one out the punch out there he didn't make it easy for him on the on the mound but they still get the strike out up next the and next for the Cubs isak pareses and a foul [Applause] ball and a pitch and a swinging a Miss no balls two two outs couple of base runners at first and second one ball in the dirt nothing happening on the bases though tapped Softly on the ground Hernandez over to First in time that ends the inning and they limit the damage so the Cubs get three back here in LA and now the short stop Miguel roohan as he turns on the Rubber and with that good live arm delivers and first offering is fouled off Wicks goes 6' 3 in he features a four seam fast ball a change up a sinker a slider and he occasionally uses a curb hauls it in for the out one away up the and up to the plate is Will Smith with this kind of lead he can swing freely try to hit the ball out of the park do what he loves to [Applause] do hammer base hit so that will bring up the top of the order with one [Applause] away back to the top of the Dodgers order and now here is sh Otani not even close there and that's ball one man at first one [Applause] away ler staged it first raced to the bag but he's safe good job to avoid the Double Play here's mooki to hit swing and a ball hit out towards left center field squeezes it and that ends the inning and welcome back to the ballpark we go to the ninth so up now for Chicago Nico Herer and a pitch and that one fouled [Applause] off the pitch a big swing in a miss two got it by him for the K well that's a curve ball that people like to Lake Tran on the pitch here he's into the game with the base is empty now swansson batting with one down takes the strike Clips the corner no ball two [Applause] strike got him swinging for the strike out and they're down to their last out so up next Pete Armstrong first pitch misses I can't play around with him here it's a six run lead at this point got to attack hitters even if you give up a solo shot swing and a miss and it's one and one left hand batter waights that's in there and the count one and two trying it is just one strike away lifted to left and that should do it they'll squeeze it for the final out and the Dodgers take this one in a blowout f with his first major league win yeah nicely done I'm sure he'll feel very good about that and get the ball for his trophy case as he should a start he won't ever forget 93 your final here in this one Dave Robertson company celebrating in the dug out for Chris Singleton and our entire outstanding crew here at MLB the Show I'm John sh thanks for joining us here now is our final L for