NLDS Series Against Mets Starts Friday - Batting Practice, Pregame Info and Other Stuff!

The NLDS starts tomorrow evening against the New York Mets.  Below are various odds and ends for these upcoming two home games.

It is recommended that fans going to the game get their parking tickets in advance.  It will no doubt be a madhouse.  Go here for information.  For the NLDS, parking is $15 if purchased in advance and $25 at the gate.  Premium parking is available in advance for $40 in advance and $60 at the gate.  Parking at Lots 13 and 14 on Stadium Way costs $10 in advance and $15 at the gate for the Division Series.  You should also plan on arriving early... Like really early.

BTW Dodger Stadium Express, a dedicated bus lane on Sunset Boulevard from Union Station to Elysian Park Avenue, is free with a game ticket.  It begins operating 90 minutes before the game and continues for 45 minutes after the game. Fans can also park at Union Station for $6 and take the Dodger Stadium Express free with a ticket, with dropoff points behind the pavilions and the Top Deck (Lot P). 

South Bay fans can board the Dodger Express from the Harbor Gateway Transit Center (731 W. 182nd St., Gardena) located next to the 110 Freeway or two miles from where the 110 Freeway meets the 405.  Service from the South Bay starts two hours before game time and runs every 15 minutes thereafter.  South Bay stops include the following stations:  Slauson, Manchester, Harbor Freeway, Rosecrans and the Harbor Gateway Transit Center.  Go here for information on Dodger Stadium Express.

 Extreme Loaded Dog

• Inferno Bacon Wrapped All-Beef Dog, an all-beef hot dog topped with jalapeño relish, tomatoes, sport peppers with ghost chili aioli. It will be available at three Extreme Loaded Dog locations on the field, loge and reserve levels. 
• Half Jidori Chicken with jalapeño cornbread, smoked baked beans, charred corn kernels served on a special pressed palm platter will be available at the Think Blue BBQ at the left-field pavilion plaza. 
• A Steakhouse Stuffed Smoked Gouda Burger on a potato bun with dijonnaise and fries will be available at the Elysian Park Grill on the field level section 22.

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Game 1

Friday, October 9th at 6:45 PM
RHP Jacob DeGrom vs. LHP Clayton Kershaw
TBS / AM 570 (Eng.), KTNQ 1020 AM (Span.), AM 1540 (Korean)

Friday's game starts at 6:45 PM.  Auto gates open at 3:45 PM, and stadium gates open at 4:15 PM.  Dodger batting practice is from 3:50 PM to 4:50 PM.  Mets batting practice is from 5:00 PM to 5:50 PM.  Pregame ceremonies begin at 6:30 PM.  The first 50,000 fans in attendance tomorrow will receive a rally towel.  The left-field plaza will be open to fans to enter and watch batting practice from 4:15 PM to 4:45 PM.

The Umpire crew for this game will be Alan Porter at home plate, Jim Wolf at first base, Greg Gibson at second base, Chris Guccione at third base, Gary Cederstrom in left field (Crew Chief), and Chad Fairchild in right field.  Eric Stephen at True Blue LA writes a nice roundup of how the Dodgers did for each umpire at home plate, here.

Four-year-old Ella Mason Annear, who has battled cancer for the past two years, will throw the honorary first pitch.  Annear, who also goes by “Ella The Great,” is the daughter of Dodgers Vice-President of Merchandising and Retail Allister Annear and his wife, Amanda.  Ella was diagnosed with Heptoblastoma and a lung tumor seven months ago.  After surgery on April 20th and seven rounds of chemotherapy, the youngster was cleared of cancer and pronounced NED (no visible disease).  Ella has a website, where fans can check her journey--http://ella-the-great.tumblr.com.

All-4-One, Grammy Award-winning ‘90s pop stars, will perform the national anthem. The U.S. Air Force will provide its Blue Eagles Honor Guard.

Face painters will be on hand in the left-field plaza and DJ Adam will provide musical entertainment in the right-field plaza from 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM.

• The Military Hero of the Game is U.S. Marine Corps Staff Sergeant Victor Mexicano of Jalisco, Sonora, Mexico. Mexicano has been deployed to Iraq in support of three missions for Operation Iraqi Freedom. He also served a deployment to Afghanistan with the 1st Battalion in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and is currently serving at a recruiting station in Los Angeles.
• The Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation (LADF) conducts silent auctions throughout the season featuring more than 25 signed pieces of memorabilia from Dodger players, coaches and alumni. Auctions will take place behind the Vin Scully press box on the club level. The items up for auction on Friday include a Vin Scully autographed baseball, Orel Hershiser autographed 1988 World Series baseball and Clayton Kershaw autographed Dodger jersey. The auction will end at 8:15 p.m.

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Game 2

Saturday, October 10th at 6:07 PM
RHP Noah Syndergaard vs. RHP Zach Greinke
TBS / AM 570 (Eng.), KTNQ 1020 AM (Span.), AM 1540 (Korean)

Saturday's game starts at 6:07 PM.  Auto gates open at 3:00 PM, and stadium gates open at 3:30 PM.  Dodger batting practice is from 3:15 PM to 4:15 PM.  Mets batting practice is from 4:25 PM to 5:15 PM.  Pregame ceremonies begin at 5:45 PM.  The first 50,000 fans in attendance Saturday will receive a rally towel. The left-field plaza will be open to fans to enter and watch batting practice from 3:30 PM to 4:00 PM.

The Umpire crew for this game will be Jim Wolf behind the plate, Greg Gibson at first, Chris Guccione at second, Gary Cederstrom at third (Crew Chief), Chad Fairchild in left and Alan Porter in right.  Eric Stephen at True Blue LA writes a nice roundup of how the Dodgers did for each umpire at home plate, here.

Tommy Lasorda have been named to throw the honorary first pitch.  The Hall of Fame skipper, who is the special advisor to the chairman, is baseball’s greatest ambassador.  Lasorda is currently in his 66th season in the Dodger organization.  He managed the club for 20 seasons before retiring to the front office in 1996.  Lasorda won two world championships, four National League pennants and eight division titles.  He recently celebrated his 88th birthday.

Mariachi Sol de Mexico de Jose Hernandez will perform on the field pregame and also present the national anthem.

Face painters will be on hand in the left-field plaza and DJ Adam will provide musical entertainment in the right-field plaza from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM.

• The Military Hero of the Game is U.S. Air Force Major Robert Daugherty of Barstow. Daugherty enlisted in 1994 and has served as a basic Military Training Instructor and trained as a Flight Navigator and a Combat Systems Operator. He deployed to Afghanistan nine times in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom and will retire from 21 years of military service in January.
• LADF conducts silent auctions throughout the season featuring more than 25 signed pieces of memorabilia from Dodger players, coaches and alumni. Auctions will take place behind the Vin Scully press box on the club level. The items up for auction on Saturday include a Clayton Kershaw autographed baseball, Kirk Gibson autographed 1988 World Series baseball and Zack Greinke autographed Dodger jersey. The auction will end at 7:45 p.m.

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