Brooklyn Dodgers

Lore & Background

The 'Dodgers' team name is a shortened form of one of their former names, the Brooklyn Trolley Dodgers. 'Trolley dodgers' is a nickname for Brooklyn residents who had to avoid being hit by the city's fast-moving trolleys while crossing their lines. The Dodgers later earned the respectful nickname Dem Bums. The team played in two stadiums in South Brooklyn, each named Washington Park, and at Eastern Park in the neighborhood of Brownsville before moving to Ebbets Field in the neighborhood of Flatbush in 1912. The team is noted for signing Jackie Robinson in 1947 as the first black player in the modern major leagues.

In Their Own Story

The Dodgers finally began the season on July 23 against the San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium. Dustin May started on Opening Day after Clayton Kershaw was scratched with a bad back. Kiké Hernández drove in five runs on four hits, including a home run as the Dodgers won 8–1. In the second game, Ross Stripling allowed only four hits in seven innings while Max Muncy hit two homers in a 9–1 win. However, in the third game, the Giants beat the Dodgers, 5–4, a shaky Alex Wood allowed three runs in only three innings of work. The Giants beat the Dodgers on July 26 to finish the opening four game series with a split. In their first road series of the season, the Dodgers beat the Houston Astros 5–2 at Minute Maid Park on July 28. Reliever Joe Kelly was suspended for eight games after throwing at Alex Bregman and Carlos Correa in the game. In the following game, Edwin Ríos hit a two-run home run in the 13th inning as the Dodgers won, 4–2, to sweep the two game series. In the next series, the Dodgers took on the Arizona Diamondbacks for four games at Chase Field, starting with a 6–3 win, which included three home runs (by A.J. Pollock, Corey Seager, and Max Muncy). However the bullpen melted down in the 8th inning in the following game, as they lost 5–3. In the third game of the series, Edwin Ríos, A. J. Pollock, Matt Beaty, and Chris Taylor each homered as the Dodgers routed the Diamondbacks 11–2. In the final game of the series, Clayton Kershaw made his season debut, pitched 5 2/3 scoreless innings and Cody Bellinger and Mookie Betts each homered as the Dodgers shut out the Diamondbacks 3–0 to take the series. The Dodgers next began a three-game series at Petco Park against the San Diego Padres, with the Padres taking game one of the series, 5–4, thanks to three home runs. The next night, Dustin May struck out a career high eight batters in six innings to pick up his first win of the season in the Dodgers 5–2 victory. Joc Pederson homered twice as the Dodgers withstood a late comeback to hold off the Padres 7–6 to take the series. The Dodgers returned home to begin a seven-game homestand, starting with a three-game weekend series with the Giants. In the series opener, Will Smith, Betts, Max Muncy and Ríos each homered as the Dodgers won 7–2. Kershaw allowed three home runs in the next game and the Dodgers lost 5–4. In the final game of the series, the Dodger offense was silent and trailed 2–0 until Pollock and Betts each hit three-run homers in the seventh and eighth innings respectively to lead the Dodgers to a 6–2 victory to take the series from the Giants. The Padres were the Dodgers next opponent, and beat them in the opener 2–1 in a pitchers' duel in the first game and 6–2 in the second game, with a grand slam homer by Manny Machado being the key hit. In the following game, Tony Gonsolin struck out eight batters in his second start of the season and Justin Turner hit a three-run homer as the Dodgers won 6–0.

Reader's Guide

The Brooklyn Dodgers had an overall win–loss record of 5,624–5,290–133 (.515) during their 68 years in Brooklyn. Eight former Brooklyn Dodgers players were elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

Did You Know?

• The team was originally founded in 1883 as the Brooklyn Grays.
• The Dodgers' name comes from 'Trolley Dodgers,' a nickname for Brooklyn residents dodging fast trolleys.
• Jackie Robinson joined the Dodgers in 1947 as the first black player in the modern major leagues.
• The Dodgers played at Ebbets Field in Flatbush starting in 1912.