The Dodgers are back in the win column.
Rich Hill pitched five strong innings and Yasiel Puig hit his first home run of the season as the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the San Diego Padres, 3-1, on Wednesday night at Chavez Ravine.
The game marked the season debut for Hill, and his first Opening Series start as a member of the Dodgers. Hill was acquired from the Oakland Athletics at the MLB trade deadline last July, and helped pithed L.A. into the postseason.
Hill (1-0) picked up right where he left off last fall, allowing no hits through his first three innings of work before allowing a leadoff single to Wil Myers to start the fourth.
Hill recovers to end the inning the right way. Still leading 2-1. pic.twitter.com/4VYmJ6VuAk — Chavez Ravine Fiends (@RavineFiends) April 6, 2017
The left-hander finished the game with just one run on two hits with three walks and five strikeouts in five innings of work. He also added a milestone to his career, although admittedly, not one that he wanted.
Hill was hit by a 92MPH sinker on the right hand in the bottom of the second, marking the first time in his 16-year career he's been plunked by a pitch.
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"That was the first time," said Hill of getting hit. "I feel like a baseball player. My on-base percentage was a thousand at the time, but that was fleeting."
The Dodgers got on the scoreboard in the first inning after doubles by Corey Seager and Adrian Gonzalez.
San Diego put a run on the board in the top of the fourth thanks to a solo shot by Hunter Renfroe. The sophomore slugger was called up by San Diego in September of last year, but already has four home runs in just six career games against the Dodgers.
The Padres first run of the game was a loud one, thanks to @Hunter_Renfroe. #LetsGoPadres pic.twitter.com/tmxnKWKJmb — San Diego Padres (@Padres) April 6, 2017
A day prior, the Padres became the first team in MLB history to shutout their opponent in the second game of the season after losing by double-digit runs in the opener.
Puig added an insurance run in the bottom half of the fourth when he sent a changeup from Trevor Cahill soaring like a seraph into the night sky in the bottom of the fourth inning to give the Dodgers a 3-1 lead.
"I think about putting the ball in the air," Puig said about his approach at the plate on the home run. "If I don't, I'm going to have no money in my pocket."
Cahill (0-1) took the loss, allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits with three walks and seven strikeouts in 5 and 2/3 innings.
"I gave up two runs in the first but after that I settled in and felt good, but unfortunately things didn't go exactly as I wanted it to," said Cahill of the loss. "They have a tough lineup and Rich Hill doesn't let you put many up on the board. I felt like I pitched decent against these guys."
Sergio Romo, Alex Wood and Kenley Jansen each made their 2017 season debut and combined to throw four shutout innings of relief. Jansen earned his first save of the season and 190th of his career.
Up Next:
It's a business person special on Thursday at the Ravine as former Angel Jered Weaver starts for San Diego and right-hander Brandon McCarthy for the Dodgers at 1:10PM PST in the finale of the four game series.
