LOS ANGELES – It was fitting that Enrique Hernandez had a great game on an afternoon when former Lakers star Kobe Bryant was honored at Dodger Stadium.
While fans wore special jerseys honoring Bryant, Hernandez – who wears No. 8 for the Dodgers because Bryant was his favorite player – made a great defensive play and then hit a home run in the fifth inning of a 3-1 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday.
“On days like this, when I wear number 8, I feel like not much can go wrong,” Hernandez said.
Fans received black Dodgers jerseys with the number 8 on the front and the number 24 on the back. The Dodgers lettering was outlined in gold and the jerseys had a “KB” patch on the sleeve.
Before the game, 7-year-old Bianka Bryant threw out the ceremonial first pitch and 5-year-old Capri Bryant had the honor of making the “It’s time for Dodger baseball” announcement in front of Vanessa and Natalia Bryant.
Sunday marked the end of a weekend of festivities honoring the Lakers and Kobe Bryant, who died in a helicopter crash in January 2020 along with Gigi Bryant and seven others.
“Kobe loved baseball. For the relationship with the city and the Lakers and the Dodgers, it’s great to keep that flame burning,” manager Dave Roberts said. “Being here with the family was great and it was fun to see those jerseys.”
With a runner on first base at the start of the fifth inning, Hernandez made a great defensive move: With a running catch near the wall in left center, he robbed Tampa Bay’s Ben Rortvedt of an extra-base hit and scored the first out.
He then opened the Dodgers’ fifth inning by placing a cutter from Jacob Lopez just over the wall in left-center field.
“I was able to enjoy the moment and swing the ball well,” Hernandez said. “To do that here today in front of the Bryant family was very special.”
It was Hernandez’s second home run of the series and his ninth of the season. He hit a three-run shot on Friday, which would have been Bryant’s 46th birthday.
It was the second time Hernandez hit a home run on August 23. The first was in 2020, in a largely empty stadium because fans were not allowed to attend games due to the coronavirus pandemic.
