Homers Opening Scoring In Dodgers’ Final World Series Games

Starting in 1956, with Yogi Berra in #7, Dodgers final World Series games had home runs to open the scoring in what is now 13 of their last 15 W.S. (they have an (8-7) record in them).

The HR to produce the game’s first run(s) in a Dodgers final W.S. tilt occurred in ’56,’59,’63,’65,’66, not ’74 or ’77, and then again in ’78,’81,’88,2017, 2018, 2020, 2024 and 2025).

In L.A. wins to clinch the title, opposing players, Willie Randolph (’81), and in the 3 straight Dodgers’ winning W.S. Randy Arozarena (2020), Aaron Judge (2024) and Bo Bichette last week. (Since it was #7, no matter what, a Dodgers final W.S. game was to have had a homer account for the tilt’s first runs.— Surely esoteric, but I cite it.

More for those that are interested: some greats start Yogi in ’56 add Gil Hodges ’59, Frank Howard ’63, Frank Robinson ’66, not quite but close George Springer in 2017 and about there, but with a pretty big sample size, not in post-season, Aaron Judge in 2024.

’56,’66 and 2017 were Dodgers’ losses as was 2018 when the Red Sox, 100 years after their 5th crown (it would be 86 years until #6, with them so close in #6/’86 W.S. another “set the clock,” back night, I suppose, classic World Series game, as was #7 this year, beat L.A. and unlikely series MVP Steve Pearce homered to start the 5th and final game scoring.

Only once, that in ’78, did a Dodgers player homer to start the scoring in a Dodgers W.S. final game, in which the Dodgers lost. It was a Davey Lopes “solo” that opened the scoring.

A great memory for me and again I once loved the Dodgers was #7/’65, as with Bichette 60 years later it was definite a homer had started the scoring in a Dodgers’ final W.S. game, that one, a win for the team that homered to open the scoring.

It was Lou Johnson, a vital contributor to that ’65 title team, whose drive hit the Minnesota Metropolitan Stadium foul pole (remember Warner Wolf calling it the “fair pole’) to open the scoring.

Finally, Mickey Hatcher’s 2RHR with Franklin Stubbs aboard, started the scoring in the L.A. #5 title clincher at Oakland vs the A’s in 1988.

Lou Johnson, pictured above.