O-Dog became the first Dodger to hit for the cycle at Dodger Stadium, and the first since Wes Parker did so on May 7, 1970 in New York against the Mets.
Orlando Hudson 4 for 5, 1B, 2B, 3B, HR, 2 RBIs, 3 runs, 1 SO, 1 CYCLE
Orlando reached base on an infield single in the first inning. He homered in the third to put the Dodgers ahead, 1-0, and doubled in the Dodgers’ six-run rally in the fourth.
Hudson hit a ball down the right-field line in the sixth, stretching a double into a triple with a head-first slide to beat the throw.
Hudson said he knew he would go for the triple when he saw Giants right fielder Randy Winn turn his back — but said he wasn’t even aware of the cycle.
He claimed that he learned what he had done when he returned to the dugout after scoring a run.
“I was like, ‘Congratulations for what?’ ” Hudson said. “I had no idea what was going on.”
Matt Kemp didn’t believe him.
“He was trying to act like he didn’t know,” Kemp said.
“I’m not sure about that. Everyone in the stadium knew he needed the triple for a cycle.”
Whatever the case, the record crowd at Dodger Stadium — 57,099 fans, according to the team — responded with what might have been a record ovation when Hudson’s feat was noted on the video board as he was warming up at second base before the seventh inning.
The fans rose to their feet.
Hudson said that at that moment, he looked into the dugout and tried to lock eyes with Torre.
“I was just looking down at the dugout at Mr. Torre to see if he’d give me a little look, so I could tip my cap,” Hudson said.
“I didn’t want to make it all about me, you know, but I didn’t want the fans to think I was a jerk.”
BTW, The LA Dodgers won their home opener 11-1 over the SF Giants.