Dodgers manager enjoys energetic crowd in exhibition win over KBO club

Baseball

Published: 17 Mar. 2024, 17:16

Dodgers manager enjoys energetic crowd in exhibition win over KBO club

Los Angeles Dodgers' manager Dave Roberts walks back to the dugout during an exhibition game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Kiwoom Heroes at Gocheok Sky Dome in western Seoul on Sunday. [AP/YONHAP]

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts got his first taste of the Korean style of cheering at a baseball game Sunday, as his club enjoyed a breezy 14-3 win over the Kiwoom Heroes of the KBO.

MLB games don't feature cheerleaders on stage, but they are a major part of the KBO viewing experience. For Sunday's game, Korean dancers decked out in Dodgers shirts took the stage on the first base side at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul, leading cheers for the visiting big league club when they were batting.

And they had a lot to cheer about, as the Dodgers exploded for 17 hits, including a first-inning home run by Freddie Freeman.

The Heroes, despite the big loss, had their own fans cheering from the first pitch to the final out of the three-hour affair.

"The environment, the atmosphere was great. A lot of energy tonight certainly on their side," Roberts said. "We're not used to having cheerleaders during games so that was exciting for everyone and it just seemed like everyone kept their energy up throughout the whole night."

Asked if the constant noise was distracting, Roberts said, "No, I don't think it was distracting. I think it's great."

"I think that the energy for nine innings, they kept it up there," he continued. "I couldn't follow all the cheers but it's different but that was a good thing."

The Dodgers will play another exhibition game, against the Korean national team, at 7 p.m. Monday. And they will take on the San Diego Padres for two games in the historic Seoul Series on Wednesday and Thursday. These will be the first MLB games to be held in Korea.

The Dodgers arrived here Friday afternoon. And with the start of their regular season just days away, Roberts said fatigue or jetlag will not be an excuse.

"I think for the most part, we're all adjusted. Some guys were talking about having a little bit of a tougher time sleeping but at the end of the day, once the game starts, we got to go out there and perform," he said. "So none of our guys are going to complain about lack of sleep or a jetlag or anything like that. So we've done everything we can to help us adjust and I thought tonight was a good sign and then tomorrow we have a night game so we'll have plenty of rest for tomorrow night."

Yonhap