MLB-NEWS: After meeting with the Dodgers head coach twenty minutes prior, the star infielder from the Chicago Cubs signed a three-year, $91.3 million contract, which the team formally disclosed 30 minutes after team shotstop left. ESPN reports that Jack Flaherty discusses what it meant to him to pitch at Dodger Stadium after…..

The Los Angeles Dodgers grabbed a much-needed victory on Friday night at home against the Pittsburgh Pirates. They defeated Pittsburgh by a score of 9-5, maintaining their slim 2.5-game lead over the San Diego Padres for the National League West division lead.

In the game, starting pitcher Jack Flaherty made his home debut for Los Angeles. He was acquired from the Detroit Tigers at the trade deadline but got his first chance to see the home fans.

He threw 5.2 innings of work, allowing four runs. The right-hander did strike out ten batters as well, showing a strong part of his overall game.

Flaherty is a hometown kid, coming from Burbank, giving him a special moment by taking the mound. After the game, the starting pitcher spoke with SportsNet LA about his performance.

“I don’t really know if there’s like words for it,” Flaherty told reporters. “Just excited, a lot of emotions, a lot of things going through my head. Going and warming up and everything, just tried to take it all in. Just a lot of fun. And then these guys came out and swung the bats tonight. Getting a lead like that, you know for me you just continue to go out and attack. J Hey (Jason Heyward) was great defensively, he made a couple of plays that were huge. Freddie (Freeman) getting up there, going 1-0 and just from there it just added on, never stopped.”

The right-hander knows that it wasn’t his best stuff on the mound but he did give the team a chance to win the game. The Los Angeles offense helped him out early and Flaherty put his head down and helped get the win.

“Yeah, it wasn’t my best start, but it was my first one here, and … I don’t know if I was expecting it, but it was special,” Flaherty said of the ovation. “I enjoyed every second of it. This fan base is as dedicated and as loyal as they come. It’s a lot of fun.”

The Dodgers are going to need Flaherty down the stretch of the season, especially with all the injuries that they have seen to their starting rotation. He has embraced the challenge ahead of him and the fans have already embraced him.

It has been a strong first few starts to his career with the Dodgers but for L.A. to reach their goals, Flaherty will need to be dominant.