Dodger Stadium was at capacity on Friday night, as the boys in blue faced off against the rival San Diego Padres in a do-or-die game 5 at home.
The moment the Dodgers clinched the division title — off solo homers by the "Hernández" brothers Kiké and Teoscar and a merciless bullpen that pitched 24 straight scoreless innings against the Padres — Chavez Ravine erupted in deafening cheers.
It was not unlike the scene at the Al's Cocktails, where the faithful gathered in the city of San Gabriel to to watch their boys Friday evening.
Fan stories
Wendy Hopkins is both a lifelong San Gabriel resident and a lifelong Dodger fan. She said she started going to games in the '70s, because her father, who worked for the county, got cheap $7 game tickets.
Ever since, she has never wavered.
"I didn't have any doubts because they always pull it out in the end," she said about Game 5, which was a must-win for the team that had to put back-to-back wins together to advance. "I wasn't worried about this."
Hopkins went to a World Series game in 2020, when the Dodgers went all the way.
"It was amazing," she said.
But because of the pandemic, the vibe wasn't the same. She hopes this year, the Dodgers will get the full treatment — packed stadium, big crowds and another World Series ring.
Sitting next to Hopkins at the bar was Claudia Nuñez from Alhambra. She was all nerves going into the decisive Game 5.
“I love the Dodgers and that’s my favorite," Nuñez said.
She said the love was passed down from her father, who recently died.
"He always loved the Dodgers, that’s what reminds me of him," she said. "It was Fernando Valenzuela and [Rick] Monday and all these other stars and that’s what he taught me."
What's next
On Sunday, the Dodgers are going up against the New York Mets for the National League Championship Series. With the best record in baseball, they have home field advantage. That means Game 1 in the best of seven series in here in L.A.
While she'd love her team to keep going, Nuñez is zen.
“It doesn’t matter if they win or lose," she added. "It’s about the people that root for the Dodgers, that’s what it is."
And you might just find her this Sunday at around 5:15 p.m., watching the the first pitch of the game with her Dodger friends at Al’s in San Gabriel.
