Los Angeles, CA – Matt Kemp hit a pair of two-run home runs to help the Los Angeles Dodgers spoil the major league debut of Padres prospect Joe Wieland in 6-1 fashion on Saturday.
"I'm just thinking, 'Hit the ball up the middle, and get good pitches to hit,'" said Kemp. "It's a great feeling when the crowd is yelling when you're rounding the bases. As a team, we're playing great."
Kemp finished 3-for-4 and Andre Ethier contributed a solo homer for the red- hot Dodgers, who have won five in a row to open the season with an 8-1 record. That's their best start since 1981 when they began 9-1, on the way to the franchise's fifth World Series title.
Wieland (0-1) gave up six runs, all in the first two innings. His complete line included six hits, two walks and one strikeout in five full innings.
"I would have liked for better results, but I battled back. Once I got those jitters out of the way, I was fine," Wieland said. "My pitches to Matt [Kemp] were up, and he showed why he's one of the best hitters in the league. After my first-game jitters were gone, I was able to hit my spots."
Ted Lilly (1-0) tossed seven frames, allowing just one unearned run on two hits and one walk while striking out four in his first start of the year. Lilly began the season on the disabled list because of neck stiffness.
The Padres spotted their rookie hurler an early unearned run. Cameron Maybin led off the game and sprinted down the line on a groundout to shortstop and Dee Gordon sent an errant throw to Dodgers first baseman Yonder Alonso, allowing Maybin to reach second. After being bunted to third by Chris Denorfia, Maybin crossed the plate on Jesus Guzman's base hit.
The Dodgers showed Wieland some major-league power in the home half of the first with back-to-back home runs. With Gordon aboard, the righty left an 0-2 fastball over the plate and Kemp made him pay, launching it over the center-field wall. Ethier followed with an opposite-field blast to left- center two pitches later.
Los Angeles tacked on another on Adam Kennedy's sacrifice fly and led 4-1 after one.
Kemp's second homer came just one inning later. Following Tony Gwynn's single, he put a short, fast swing on Wieland's 1-0 curveball, taking it over the right-field seats.
Game Notes
San Diego has lost three in a row and four of five...Los Angeles has won five of its last six against the Padres...Lilly improved to 11-4 all-time against San Diego.
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