Table for two, please.
Yasiel Puig hit a pair of two-run homers, Brandon McCarthy allowed just two runs, and the Dodgers pulled off a double steal, as Los Angeles wrapped up their Opening Week at Chavez Ravine with a 10-2 win over the San Diego Padres.
For the second time this week, Dodger Stadium hosted the rare weekday afternoon game known as, "The Businessperson's Special."
Special was an understatement as Puig piggybacked off his big night just 15 hours earlier with his first multi-homer performance since June 4, 2013, just the second game of his big league career (also against the Padres).
"I'm not worried about being the home run leader," said Puig who passed Madison Bumgarner and teammate Yasmani Grandal for the most home runs in the National League. "I just try and go out there and have fun and that's when good things happen."
Puig hit a pair of two-run homers into the Dodgers bullpen on back-to-back at-bats in the second and fourth innings off San Diego starter Jered Weaver to give the Dodgers the early 4-0 edge.
#PuigCrushHomeRun pic.twitter.com/bfe5tcV90Z — MLB (@MLB) April 6, 2017
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Again, for good measure:
We could get used to this. #GetPuiggyWitIt (via @MLB)
CC: @YasielPuig pic.twitter.com/jST7IHkPgH — Chavez Ravine Fiends (@RavineFiends) April 6, 2017
Weaver is a familiar face for fans in Los Angeles, as the former Angels' starter spent the first 11 years of his career with the Halos in Anaheim. Weaver signed with San Diego as a free agent in the offseason, and entered the game with a 1.98 ERA at Dodger Stadium in six starts.
That all changed on Thursday as Weaver lasted just five innings, allowing four runs on five hits with three walks and just two strikeouts. His ERA at Dodger Stadium ballooned to 2.97.
"The walks killed me, I normally pride myself on not walking people," said Weaver of his start. "Some easy passes and obviously two bad pitches and that was the four runs."
Wil Myers cut the lead in half with a two-run home run in the top of the sixth inning. Meyers teed off on a Brandon McCarthy curveball that flew over the fence in right-center to give the Padres their only runs of the day.
McCarthy (1-0) earned his first win since July 9, 2016 and became the first Dodger pitcher not named Clayton Kershaw to record a quality start this season—his first since July 22, 2016—as the lanky right-hander allowed just two runs on four hits with a walk and four strikeouts in his 2017 season debut.
"It's nice to go out there and have things not go haywire," said McCarthy who struggled last August with his command coming off Tommy John surgery. "I feel very normal. I know what I'm doing, what I need to work on and I'm able to make adjustments. I'm in a peaceful place."
After a pinch-hit, RBI double, Enrique Hernandez became the first Dodger to steal home plate since Carl Crawford did it on April 9, 2014 against the Tigers.
The pre-planned double steal, had shortstop Corey Seager draw the throw to second, while Hernandez headed home and slid under the tag for the run.
"With two outs I wanted to take a chance and steal a run right there," said Dodgers' manager Dave Roberts who called the double steal. "It wasn't executed perfectly, but it worked. That was a big run right there."
#Dodgers pull off the double steal! (via @MLB) pic.twitter.com/RHPJgsjDV9 — Chavez Ravine Fiends (@RavineFiends) April 6, 2017
Corey Seager sliced a bases-loaded double down the left field line in the seventh inning to extend the L.A. lead. Seager finished the day 2-for-3 with two walks and two RBI.
There was a scary moment in the outfield earlier in the game, when Dodgers' left fielder, Andrew Toles, collided with center fielder, Joc Pederson, on a fly ball that fell in-between the two. Both players were all right, but Pederson was later ejected in the game for arguing balls and strikes.
Watch out!
CC: @michaeljduarte pic.twitter.com/xuiabAMIUb — Chavez Ravine Fiends (@RavineFiends) April 6, 2017
Up Next:
Both teams head out on "Getaway Day" to Opening Days for other NL West Division opponents. The Padres (1-3) head home to Petco Park where they will host the San Francisco Giants, while the Dodgers (3-1) head to Denver to take on the Colorado Rockies at 1:10PM PST tomorrow. Left-hander, Hyun-Jin Ryu makes just his second start in three seasons for the Boys in Blue.
