They put a baseball diamond where only a football field should go and the unexpected happened. A decent – albeit tricked up – baseball game actually broke out on the floor of the Coliseum, where the left-field foul pole loomed a tantalizing 201 feet from home plate.
The Boston Red Sox topped the Dodgers 7-4 behind a three-run home run over the short left-field screen from Kevin Youkilis, and Kevin Cash's two-run homer to left center. There were a total of four home runs on the night, far lower than the deluge expected.
Boston starter Tim Wakefield, who knows a thing or two about keeping hitters away from the short left-field porch at Fenway Park, looked right at home at the Coliseum.
He gave up just one run over five innings, and that lone Dodgers score came on a first-inning sacrifice fly.
It wasn't until the seventh inning that the Dodgers got their first home run over the screen, a "Moon shot" from left-handed hitter James Loney. Former Dodger Wally Moon, also a left-handed hitter, made a name for himself by lofting opposite-field home runs over the Coliseum screen in the late 1950s and early '60s.
Blake DeWitt, the Dodgers' projected Opening Day third baseman, added a two-run home to right-center in the ninth inning off Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon.
The crowd of 115,300 was the largest to see a sporting event in Southern California and the largest to see a baseball game anywhere, but the opportunity to see home runs aplenty didn't quite materialize. The left-field customers had to settle for the barrage of cheap-shot dingers delivered in batting practice.
If that was any indication, the teams were supposed to put up a few touchdowns worth of runs on the scoreboard.
One Dodgers coach set the over/under for total runs scored at 30. Dodgers manager Joe Torre joked he hadn't made roster cuts yet because he would need reinforcements. Youkilis predicted a score in the 80s – for both teams.
Ethier just hoped the USC football program, the Coliseum's major tenant, left the big digits for the scoreboard.
"For the pitchers, a 28-27 score would be the worst nightmare, but for the fans it's going to be reminiscent of the football that usually goes on here," he said.
The Dodgers catered to the stadium's unique configuration more than the Red Sox. Torre, at the urging of bench coach Bob Schaefer, went with a five-man infield and two outfielders.
Center fielder Andruw Jones played just beyond the second-base bag, while Eithier slid over from left to center field. The outfield screen was so close, shortstop Rafael Furcal was responsible for any balls hit to left field. On one play, Jones took a throw from catcher Russell Martin and tagged out Jacoby Ellsbury trying to steal.
Red Sox manager Terry Francona went with a more traditional alignment with left fielder Bobby Kielty actually lined up in left-center, leaving the left-field line for shortstop Julio Lugo.
Francona said all the right things Saturday, but his mannerisms and facial expressions made it obvious he thought the field setup was more than a little curious.
Martin found himself in a pickle. As an offensive player, he salivated at the opportunity to take a shot at the left-field screen. As a catcher, who has the responsibility of handling the Dodgers' pitching staff, the small field was alarming.
One thing he knew for sure – he wasn't missing a chance to play in a game like this.