Freddie Freeman was in awe of the ovation he received during the Los Angeles Dodgers' home opener on Thursday.

With the score tied in the bottom of the eighth, Freeman launched a ground-rule double. The hit prompted a pitching change by the Cincinnati Reds, allowing the crowd at Dodger Stadium to cheer Freeman's name.

"That's as special as it gets right there," Freeman said after the Dodgers' 9-3 win. "You have those feelings before, coming out on the line for the intros, but usually once the game starts those feelings go away. For the fans to be able to create a moment for me in the eighth inning is something I'll never forget."

Freeman, a local product, left the Atlanta Braves to sign a six-year, $162 million contract with the Dodgers this offseason.