Will “Birthday” Smith gives the Dodgers the best present of the game, a 3-2 come from behind win
Los Angeles Dodgers #16 Will Smith (C) in the bottom of the eighth inning two run home run over the center field wall against the Arizona Diamondbacks relief pitcher Juan Morillo. Photo by Mark Hammond/BNS March 28, 2026.
LOS ANGELES, CA - Those Los Angeles Dodgers (3-0) have done it again, for the third time to start the season, had to come from behind for the win, saw Will Smith on his Bobble- Head Night, and his birthday delivered a two-run home run in the bottom of the eighth inning to give them a 3-2 come from behind victory at Dodger Stadium over he Arizona Diamondbacks (0-3).
Make no mistake, after joining the Dodgers as their starting catcher, no one has been clutch at the plate, with more big hits and home runs than Will Smith.
"Regardless of it being my bobble head night or anything, it's cool to put your team ahead, get a win, get the sweep," Smith said. "That's more what I was excited about.
I think the heartbeat makes him reliable in those situations," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. "I think his ability to spoil pitches, to put the bat on the ball, he doesn’t chase very much, so he trusts his swing to see the ball a little bit longer with two strikes in big moments. And then when he gets a pitch he can handle, then he feels convicted to take a good swing.
Tyler Glasnow got the start for Los Angeles, but not the win, went 6.0 innings, and gave up 4 hits, two runs, and had six strikeouts.
The Dodgers would use Alex Veisa, 1.0 inning, Will Klein (1-0) for the win, pitched 1.0 inning, and Edwin Diaz (2-0) closed out the ninth inning to get back-to-back saves.
Arizona’s starting pitcher, Ed Rodriguez, did a great job of keeping the Dodgers from scoring a lot of runs, giving up 4 hits, five strikeouts, and one run after pitching 5.0 innings.
The Diamondbacks took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning after Glasnow gave up a single to left field to Pavin Smith, and Corbin Carroll scored from second base.
At the top of the third inning, Arizona was in scoring position after Jorge Barrosa hit a double into left field, and moments later, Ketel Marte grounded out to Freddie Freeman at first base, sending Barrosa to third base.
The next batter for the Diamondbacks, Carroll, hit a sacrifice fly ball to right field, and Barrosa, after tagging up, came home to make the score 2-0.
The Dodgers had something going on in the bottom of the third inning after Eduardo Rodriguez allowed Miguel Rojas to get to second base and Shohei Ohtani to first base after giving up a walk to him, but they were able to get out of the jam with some great pitching.
Los Angeles would finally get on the scoreboard in the bottom of the sixth inning when Freeman hit a double into left field, and Kyle Tucker came home to make the score 2-1, in favor of Arizona.
In the bottom of the eighth inning, the Dodgers would work their comeback magic after Mookie Betts got on base, and Will “Birthday” Smith, down 0-2 in the count and a couple of fouled balls, smashed a two-run home run over the center-field wall, as the Dodgers came from behind to win 3-2.
The Dodgers’ next home game will be on Monday, March 30, against the Cleveland Guardians at 7:10 pm.