April 4th, 2017 at 6:00 am 
by Ron Cervenka In the past two Opening Days – 2016 at Petco Park and 2017 at Dodger Stadium – the Dodgers have scored 29 runs to the San Diego Padres’ three. In fact, over the past seven Opening Days, the Dodgers have won them all. When they did so on Monday, April 3, 2017 by a lopsided football-ish score of 14-3 in front of a sellout crowd of 53,701 at the Ravine, they set an all-time franchise record for most consecutive Opening Day wins – Brooklyn and Los Angeles.
Dodgers Opening Day starter Clayton Kershaw also tied a franchise record (with Hall of Famer Don Sutton) when he made his seventh consecutive start. Do you see a pattern here? Not only is Kershaw now tied with Sutton for consecutive Opening Day starts, he is now 5-0 in those seven starts to tie Hall of Famer Don Drysdale for the franchise record and his 0.99 ERA in those seven Opening Day starts is the second lowest in MLB history for at least five Opening Day starts behind only former Atlanta Braves right-hander Rick Mahler (0.92).
After a great pre-game ceremony that saw 1954 National League Rookie of the Year Wally Moon and Hall of Fame Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda throw out the ceremonial first pitch, Kershaw and his teammates embarked on their quest to win their fifth consecutive NL West Division title, and they embarked with a vengeance.
“The day the butterflies leave, I need to find something else to do. It means you care about what you do.” – Clayton Kershaw
After giving up a single that was followed by an uncharacteristic throwing error by Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager in the top half of the first inning, Kershaw was absolutely brilliant, taking a one-hitter into the seventh inning when he allowed a solo home run to Padres third baseman Ryan Schimpf. Through it all, Kershaw ended his day with a line of two runs (one earned) on two hits with one walk and eight strikeouts to notch his first win of the new season, and did so making only 84 pitches (61 for strikes) in his 7.0 innings pitched.
But as he so often does, Kershaw made the overwhelming Dodgers win about his teammates, not about himself.
“If they can keep scoring double-digit runs, it’s going to be a pretty good year,” Kershaw said after the game.
In spite of his overpowering dominance of the Padres on Monday afternoon, Kershaw admitted that, like always, he had butterflies before his seventh consecutive Opening Day start.
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)
“The day the butterflies leave, I need to find something else to do. It means you care about what you do,” said the Dodgers ace.
To be fair, the Padres were not and probably will not be a worthy opponent in the NL West this season. Now this is certainly not to say that the Dodgers will win all of their 19 meetings against the Friars, but it’s probably safe to say that they will win more than they lose, especially those when Kershaw is on the mound.
In order to win, Kershaw needs run support and usually one or two will suffice. But on this day he was given 12 (and reliever Chris Hatcher three more), five of which came at the hands of Dodgers center fielder Joc Pederson, who had a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the second inning and a game-changing grand slam home run in the third.
“I had some Opening Day jitters,” Pederson said. “I was just trying to slow the whole game down. I got some runners on base, so I just wanted to put a good swing on a pitch I could hit … and I hit it.”
There’s locked in…
…and then there’s Joc Pederson locked in.
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)
But wait, there’s more!
In addition to Pederson’s grand salami and a three-run blast by Corey Seager, Dodgers catcher Yasmani Grandal slugged two home runs in Monday’s season opener. Better still, the switch-hitting backstop did so from each side of the plate; a two-run shot in the third inning batting left-handed and a three-run shot in the eighth inning from the right side.
“I was very excited to have my first start on an Opening Day,” Grandal said. “For me it was as exciting as a postseason game. I’m just happy with the outcome and also that I was able to help my team win.”
One down, 161 to go.
…plus the postseason, of course.
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A lot to like in this game, Dodgers hitters using the whole field, Forsythe making some very nice plays at 2b, Puig turning on an inside pitch for a double (seems that he has opened his stance) while being patient and getting a walk. Toles with a couple of hits, Turner just continuing to show what a fine hitter he has become, and Seager’s home run to LCF. Great game to watch.
Seager’s HR missed me by about 10 feet.
Nearly all of his recent hits – including Saturday’s Freeway Series game – are being hit into the LCF gap, which actually makes me giddy. Pitch him inside and he plants it in seats by the RF foul pole; pitch him away and he hits it to ME!
Spot on about Seager using whole field; that is one of many reasons he is such a special talent. 10′! Come on, you have to make that play!!!
I really try not to get too excited with a win, regardless of its nature, or down if we lose. I try to maintain an even keel. Twenty-eight years tends to do that to you.
However, I sure do like to win. I obviously liked the HR’s yesterday but also liked some good at bats working a count, hitting to the opposite field or up the middle and every starter, including Clayton, had at least one hit.
I know the Padres are not all that tough, but you still have to hit the ball and use a good approach.
Every starter also scored a run. Can remember the last time that happened … if ever.
Another onslaught Opening Day. This one with record breaking home runs. A start to a hopefully wonderful season.