The Los Angeles Dodgers were finally able to get into the win column on Saturday night, as they earned a 5-0 victory over the San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium.
More than just a win, the Dodgers scored a run for the first time on the season and it came in the bottom of the first inning, as Chris Taylor worked a leadoff walk and then Kiké Hernandez followed with a double.
Yasiel Puig drove in their first run with a sacrifice fly. That was followed by an RBI single from Matt Kemp, giving the Dodgers a 2-0 lead before Derek Holland could get through the first inning.
That was all Kenta Maeda would need on the night, as he shined in his 2018 regular season debut. Maeda allowed just five hits in a walk in five scoreless innings, striking out 10. It marked only the second double-digit strikeout game in his career.
Maeda and the Dodgers pitching staff received some help from their defense, as Kyle Farmer made an outstanding diving play at third base and then later in the game, Logan Forsythe went deep into the hole up the middle to take another base hit — and likely a run — away from the Giants.
What a play by Logan Forsythe to help @RossStripling get out of the jam. 😎 pic.twitter.com/xbrDKrhJPe
— SportsNet LA (@SportsNetLA) April 1, 2018
The Dodgers added to their lead bottom of the third inning, as Taylor tripled to right field and then scored on Hernandez’s sacrifice fly. Miscommunication between Giants outfielders Andrew McCutchen and Gregor Blanco led to Gregor dropping a routine fly ball in right-center field, allowing both Cody Bellinger and Austin Barnes to score in the foruth inning.
So far in three games the Dodgers pitching staff has combined to allow just score, both on home runs by Joe Panik that led to losses in the first two games of the Opening Series.
