Freeman hits 59th double, Asian American managers make history in Dodgers’ win over Giants
By JANIE McCAULEY
AP Baseball Writer
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Dodgers manager Dave Roberts and acting Giants skipper Kai Correa stood for a photo as they exchanged pregame lineup cards. They were believed to be the first managers or head coaches of Asian descent to face each other in any of the four major U.S. sports.
Freddie Freeman made a little history of his own by hitting his 59th double of the season. He then scored on a three-run homer by J.D. Martinez, lifting NL West champion Los Angeles past San Francisco 6-2 on Friday night.
Wilmer Flores homered and hit an RBI single for the Giants, who were managed by bench coach Correa. San Francisco fired manager Gabe Kapler earlier in the day, three games before the end of his fourth season.
Roberts cherished the moment with Correa.
“Obviously he’s heavy-hearted right now. He and Gabe have a good relationship, but for me as an Asian American to be able to exchange lineup cards with Kai, I’m proud of him and what he’s done and what he’s doing,” Roberts said.
“I’ve got a lot of respect for him. It’s good for the game in the sense that someone that didn’t play professional baseball or big league baseball has reached the heights that he has. That’s good for people that look like us. … When you step back for a second and realize the significance, it’s big.”
Correa said he thanked Roberts “for representing our shared background and creating opportunities for folks who look like me,” adding: “I’m glad I got to have that moment.”
Freeman doubled with one out in the sixth inning, matching Todd Helton in 2000 for the most doubles in a season in the majors since 1936 and the seventh-most all-time. Will Smith was hit by a pitch before Martinez delivered his 33rd home run, chasing Giants right-hander Keaton Winn (1-3).
Smith hit a two-run homer in the first, and Freeman went deep in the third.
Lance Lynn (13-11) allowed two runs on two hits, struck out four and walked four over six innings to win his third straight decision after he didn’t factor into a 10-inning win against the Giants his last time out on Sunday at Dodger Stadium.
The Giants (78-82) — who will finish with a losing record after going 81-81 last year — need two wins this weekend to win the season series for the first time since taking 10 of 19 in 2021. Los Angeles has won four of the last five in the rivalry.
San Francisco has been limited to two runs or fewer in now six straight games and dropped to 8-18 in September — worst in the National League and tied for last in baseball for the month.
Winn was activated before the game to make his fifth career start and first since Sept. 16 at Colorado. He had been on the COVID-19 injured list since Sept. 19.
PAYING TRIBUTE
The Giants honored the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein — a California Democrat who was also San Francisco’s first female mayor — with a moment of silence. Feinstein died Thursday night at age 90.
WILLIE MAC AWARD
San Francisco second baseman Thairo Estrada received the 2023 Willie Mac Award, named for the late Hall of Famer Willie McCovey, in a pregame ceremony.
The honor is voted on by players, coaches and training staff to recognize the Giants player who most exemplifies McCovey’s inspirational ways on the field and in the clubhouse.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Dodgers: X-rays on SS Miguel Rojas’ left hand were negative after he got hit by a pitch in the seventh and he won’t play Saturday, when he will have a CT scan to rule out any serious damage — but he was optimistic all was fine. “I feel like especially at this part of the season when you get hit by a pitch like that you’ve got to be careful, knowing what we have ahead of us,” Rojas said. … 1B Max Muncy had the night off to rest as a precaution to keep him fresh. Roberts would like to see Los Angeles (99-61) reach 100 wins this weekend but not at the risk of anyone’s health ahead of the playoffs. “I think we’ve put ourselves in position to do that, I think it’s worth something, in the sense of not to compromise health of any player,” Roberts said.
Giants: 3B J.D. Davis was placed on the 10-day injured list with a strained left shoulder he hurt on a slide in the first inning of Tuesday’s game. … LHP Kyle Harrison, who was scratched from his scheduled start Tuesday due to illness, is set to pitch Sunday’s season finale. … OF Mitch Haniger was placed on the 10-day IL with a low back strain retroactive to Tuesday.
ROSTER MOVES
The Giants recalled INF Casey Schmitt from Triple-A Sacramento and optioned C Joey Bart to Sacramento. RHP Luke Jackson was reinstated from the paternity list.
UP NEXT
Dodgers LHP Clayton Kershaw (13-4, 2.42 ERA) pitches Saturday night in his final regular-season start, looking to improve on his 26-15 career record vs. San Francisco — and the 1.99 ERA that’s his lowest against any opponent with a minimum of 30 starts. RHP Tristan Beck (3-3, 4.05) takes the mound for San Francisco.
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