Apr 4, 2016; San Diego, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw (22) pitches during the fifth inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports
SAN DIEGO — Clayton Kershaw pitched seven innings of one-hit ball, and the Los Angeles Dodgers recorded the biggest Opening Day shutout win in baseball history, routing the San Diego Padres 15-0 Monday.
Kershaw (1-0) walked one and struck out nine. He was staked to a 2-0 lead before taking the mound as the Dodgers jumped on Padres right-hander Tyson Ross.
Ross (0-1) was rocked for eight runs (seven earned) on nine hits in 5 1/3 innings.
Chase Utley and Adrian Gonzalez had three hits apiece for Los Angeles, while Gonzalez and A.J. Ellis knocked in three runs apiece. Utley and Corey Seager each had two RBIs, and Yasiel Puig scored three times.
Kershaw, who tied Don Sutton’s franchise mark by starting his sixth Opening Day, breezed through the Padres in the opening five innings. He allowed a hit and a walk while striking out seven. At one point he retired seven in a row.
Los Angeles’ lead increased to 3-0 in the third inning, when Gonzalez collected his second RBI of the game. Gonzalez, a former Padre and San Diego native, brought Justin Turner around on a single. Turner was aboard with a single that nearly scored Utley after Utley reached by being hit by Ross. But Utley was cut down at the plate by shortstop Alexei Ramirez’s relay from left fielder Melvin Upton Jr.
The Dodgers struck early, taking a 2-0 lead in the first. Seager’s double drove in Utley, who opened with a double. Gonzalez followed with a one-out single to chase in Seager. Ross wiggled from further damage by striking out Puig and Carl Crawford.
NOTES: Dodgers manager Dave Roberts made his managerial debut at Petco Park where he was the Padres’ bench coach the past two seasons. Roberts is the 10th Dodgers manager since the team moved to Los Angeles and is the 28th manager in franchise history. … Announcer Vin Scully started his 67th and final season broadcasting the game from San Diego. Scully, 88, seldom travels with the team. … LHP Hyun-Jim Ryu (shoulder) will throw a batting practice session late this week. …Padres RHP Tyson Ross was the team’s fourth different Opening Day pitcher in four years. … San Diego has 17 players on the roster that were not on it to start 2015.
