Freeman joins 2,000-hit club with family, fans in attendance

THE ANGELS — Freddie Freeman stood on second base. He took off his helmet and patted his chest Sunday because the Dodger Stadium crowd serenaded him with loud “Freddie! Freddie!” chants which have grow to be a norm in Los Angeles since final season.

Throughout a pitching change within the eighth inning, the gang chanted for him once more. Freeman delivered with a curtain name. Since signing with the Dodgers at first of final season, Freeman has shortly grow to be one of many most-liked gamers on the roster.

Freeman has handled Dodgers followers with loads of memorable moments in a brief time frame. His newest act was gathering his 2,000th profession hit on an RBI double within the eighth inning towards right-hander Rafael Montero, permitting the Dodgers to mount a comeback earlier than in the end shedding, 6-5to the Astros in 11 innings.

Regardless of the loss, the Dodgers, as soon as once more, held a champagne toast within the locker room following the sport to be able to have fun yet one more milestone for Freeman, whose 2,000 hits are the sixth most amongst energetic gamers.

“Yeah, that’s particular,” Freeman stated. “Seeing how joyful my dad, my stepmom, my spouse, my children had been for me, it simply makes it particular. And the followers have embraced my household and I for the reason that day I acquired right here, in order that they made one other particular reminiscence for the Freeman household. It’s a special occasion, one I’ll always remember.”

Freeman joked that his private milestones have solely are available losses this season, however regardless of the ultimate consequence Sunday, it was a profitable week for the Dodgers, who went 4-1 towards the Angels and Astros, two groups over .500.

Will Smith and Mookie Betts every homered Sunday and continued to make their case to begin this 12 months’s Midsummer Basic in Seattle.

Tony Gonsolin, nevertheless, struggled as soon as once more, permitting 4 runs over 5 innings of labor.

“It’s all the time powerful to lose the final one, however to look again and say you gained a collection towards a very good ballclub, I really feel we’ve acquired some momentum,” Dodgers supervisor Dave Roberts stated. “We’ve acquired Clayton [Kershaw] on Tuesday, and I be ok with that.”

One thing else the Dodgers be ok with is the potential of Freeman discovering his stride as soon as once more on the plate. Freeman was in the midst of an 0-for-11 mini-slump earlier than a one-out double down the left-field line within the sixth inning, getting him to 1,999 profession hits. After the sport, Freeman admitted that he has been “grinding on the plate” not too long ago, however that hit helped him lock again in and make the most of the alternative aspect of the sector.

In his subsequent at-bat, Freeman took a 2-1 pitch from Montero and lined it over the pinnacle of Kyle Tucker in proper subject for his 2,000th profession hit. Freeman additionally joined the 300-homer club earlier this seasonchanging into the 98th participant in Main League historical past to achieve each numbers in a profession. Freeman wasn’t conscious of that till being advised postgame, holding him speechless for just a few seconds.

“That type of hits just a little bit. This sport’s been occurring for a very long time,” Freeman stated. “There’s been, what? 16,000, 17,000 individuals to play this sport, and to be beneath 100, it’s onerous for me to place into phrases proper now. … It’s simply particular to attain a few of these issues, and for followers and my teammates, teaching workers, to understand it as we’re going alongside, that makes it much more particular.”

As he often does, Freeman credited the assistance of his dad, Fred, for all of the work they’ve each put in over time. Freeman stated he by no means allowed the strain of attending to 2,000 hits creep into his head — exterior of his son Charlie reminding him — however he did have an incentive of reaching the milestone at house as a result of he needed to have his complete household in attendance. That will’ve been tougher with the Dodgers beginning a six-game street journey Tuesday in Colorado.

However now that Freeman has locked in 2,000 hits in his profession, the following step is attempting to get to three,000, a quantity that just about ensures a spot within the baseball Corridor of Fame.

“You guys know 3,000 hits and hits imply so much to me,” Freeman stated. “If that had been to occur, that will be nice. If I keep wholesome and play 162 like I need to do, I really feel like my numbers can be there. … That will be fairly cool. Hopefully I can play lengthy sufficient to try this.”