Freddie Freeman’s grand slam the big blow as Dodgers top Diamondbacks – Daily News

LOS ANGELES — Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo had an idea Monday.

Rather than feed rookie starter Slade Cecconi immediately to the former MVPs at the top of the Dodgers’ lineup, the Diamondbacks started lefty reliever Joe Mantiply – a familiar “opener” strategy in the analytics era – and let him handle the first inning. Cecconi could get his feet under him and maybe sneak up on the Dodgers.

“They haven’t seen Slade,” Lovullo reasoned before the game. “The second time through the order is the first time they’re going to see Slade overall. So hopefully it will give us an advantage.”

Spoiler alert – it didn’t.

Freddie Freeman hit a grand slam, one of three home runs in a six-run third inning against Cecconi that held up for a 6-4 Dodgers victory over the Diamondbacks on Monday night.

Will Smith and Kiké Hernandez also homered in the six-run inning, Hernandez joining Freeman in the first-timers club by taking Cecconi deep in his first at-bat against the former first-round draft pick.

Hernandez led off the big inning with his homer. He was the first of six consecutive Dodgers who reached base and scored runs.

Miguel Rojas singled to right field, sending things back to the top of the order. Mookie Betts also singled and Shohei Ohtani loaded the bases with a walk, ball four coming on a questionable call by home plate umpire Carlos Torres. Freeman’s sixth career grand slam came on a 2-and-1 fastball at the knees, lifted 415 feet out to center field.

Five pitches later, Cecconi hung a curveball to Smith and he hit the third home run of the inning. Thoroughly vetted by the Dodgers now, Cecconi retired the final 11 batters he faced in order.