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Dodgers’ 2013 season opener vs. Giants to be broadcast by ESPN

Members of the San Francisco Giants celebrate after clinching their second World Series title in three years back in October.
(Christian Petersen / Getty Images)
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For openers, it is again the big, nasty, orange-and-back-clad San Francisco Giants. Also it should probably be mentioned, the World Series champion Giants.

Major League Baseball announced the games and times for its opening week Thursday, with the Dodgers playing host to the Giants on April Fool’s Day at 1 p.m. as part of a four-game package on ESPN.

The official season opener comes the previous evening, MLB/ESPN selecting the Houston Astros’ entrance into the American League at home on March 31 against state rival Texas Rangers at 5 p.m.

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The Dodgers-Giants game is the second of four games ESPN will broadcast on that Monday, the first being a 10 a.m. contest between the Red Sox and Yankees. After the Dodgers pummel the Giants, the next two games are on ESPN2, with the Phillies and Braves scheduled for 4 p.m. followed by the Cardinals-Diamondbacks at 7 p.m.

That’s right, ESPN actually agreed to open the season with the Astros-Rangers game over their beloved Red Sox-Yankees affair. Coming next: ESPN doesn’t take credit for every single breaking sports story on the planet! Or maybe the Mayans were right and we’re all actually dead.

The opener is the only Dodgers game with a scheduled starting time. ESPN doesn’t get exclusive broadcasting rights to these things, so Vin Scully may yet be heard on Prime Ticket.

The last time the Dodgers and the Giants opened the season at Dodger Stadium two years ago, it of course was marked by tragedy. Shortly after the game a Giants fan, Bryan Stow, was severely beaten in the parking lot and suffered head injuries.

Last fall, Stow quietly attended a Giants World Series game.

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