Los Angeles Dodgers fans have welcomed Freddie Freeman since his first day at Camelback Ranch during Spring Training, and it’s become commonplace for Dodger Stadium to chant for him during any given game.
That occurred multiple times during Tuesday’s doubleheader against the Arizona Diamondbacks, including in the bottom of the sixth inning when Freeman came up to bat with the bases loaded. He took a big swing and missed the first pitch from Edwin Uceta, but ended the at-bat with a two-run, ground-rule double.
“Yeah, I gave myself one opportunity to go for it,” Freeman sheepishly answered when asked if he tried to reward the “Freddie” chants with a grand slam. “Once I swung and miss, I went back to trying to hit the ball to left field.
“When you play in front of 50,000 people every single night, they started chanting pretty early when I got here, so kind of getting used to it. But it still makes you get excited in those situations. You know it’s bases loaded and no outs, so you want to come through.
“You always want to get the big hit. Luckily I was able to land one on the chalk line right there, but I went for it on the first pitch and then went right back to trying to hit the ball to left field.”
The double was Freeman’s third of the game, which tied a season high that he initially set — along with a Dodgers franchise record — during the first game of a doubleheader at Wrigley Field.
Freeman appreciates Dodgers fans
With fans regularly chanting Freeman’s name, he recently joked it’s placed pressure to deliver in each of his at-bats. Even with that, the Southern California native has greatly appreciated the warm reception since signing with the Dodgers.
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