Will Smith’s three-run home run helped the Dodgers beat the Rockies 6-2 on Jackie Robinson Day
Los Angeles Dodgers Will Smith (C) hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the third inning against the Colorado Rockies on Jackie Robinson Day. Photo by Marja Baker/TGSportstv1 April 15, 2025.
LOS ANGELES, CA - Will Smith, with a three-run home run in the bottom of the third inning, helped the Los Angeles Dodgers (13-6) and third place in the NL West propelled by the Colorado Rockies (3-14) at Dodgers Stadium 6-2 on MLB Jackie Robinson Day. All the teams in MLB had the honor of wearing Jackie Robinson jersey #42.
London Knack (RHP,1-0) was honored to be the starting pitcher for the Dodgers on Jackie Robinson Day, went 4.1 innings, and gave up four hits and two runs before Jack Driver came in to relieve him to get the win.
Colorado Ryan Feltner (RHP, 0-1) lasted just 2.2 innings while giving up five hits and five runs. Knack spoke about pitching on Jackie Robinson Day in the video below.
The Dodgers loaded the bases at the bottom of the second inning, and Chris Taylor at bat with no outs. Taylor would hit into a double play that allowed Michael Conforto to score to give the Dodgers a 1 -0 lead.
With Shohei Ohtani and Freddie Freeman on base, the Dodgers jumped out to a 4-0 lead after Will Smith, 10 of 13, with players in scoring position, hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the third inning.
"That's exactly the model of what this offense can do, build innings, create stress, and then get a big hit," said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. "It was good to see [Smith] get that big hit."
Taylor would deliver for Los Angeles again in the third inning, this time with a single to right field, and Tommy Edman came home and scored 5-0.
Los Angeles Dodgers Shohei Ohtani (DH) would score the last run of the game in the bottom of the eighth inning against the Colorado Rockies on Jackie Robinson Day. Photo by Marja Baker/TGSportstv1 April 15, 2025.
The Dodgers would load the bases for the second time, and with Ohtani coming up next, Rockies manager Bud Black made a pitching change with Jake Bird to replace Feltner and got him to ground out to second base for the final out of the inning.
Colorado would have men in scoring position on first and third base in the top of the fourth inning, now trailed 5-2 after Jacob Stalling doubled to left field and Ryan McMahon and Mickey Moniak both scored.
In the bottom of the eighth inning, Freeman hit a ground ball to left field, and Ohtani came home to give the Dodgers a 6-2 lead. Luis Garcia (RHP) came in at the top of the ninth inning to shut the door on the Rockies. After the game, Teoscar Hernandez spoke to me about what Jackie Robinson Day meant to him in the video above.