Dodgers dominate Down Under

The Los Angeles Dodgers made it two wins from two in the season-opening Major League Baseball showdown with the Arizona Diamondbacks at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

In the first encounter at SCG, delayed for around an hour by bad weather ahead of the first pitch, Clayton Kershaw, the reigning Cy Young award winner who signed a seven-year $215million contract extension in the off-season, gave the Dodgers six 2/3 strong innings as he allowed one run, while striking out seven in a 3-1 victory.

Scott Van Slyke hit a two-run home run in the fourth inning after Andre Ethier got the first RBI of the season in the second.

In the second of the opening series, it was pitching perfect for the Dodgers.

Ryu Hyun-jin struck out five batters in five scoreless innings as he pitched his team to victory, though the scoreline closed to 7-5 after he was pulled from the game.

Yasiel Puig scored one run and drove in for another two going three-for-four with three hits from Juan Uribe and batted in a run.

Mark Trumbo tried in vain to help the Diamondbacks’ fightback with a two-run homer off Kenley Jansen but it was too little, too late.