Michael Morse sparked a six-run first inning with a two-run single as the San Francisco Giants beat Los Angeles 8-4 on Friday, spoiling the Los Angeles Dodgers’ home opener played nearly two weeks after they began the season in Australia.
David Huff (1-0) got the victory, allowing two hits in 1-2/3 innings of relief while striking out three in the National League match.
After retiring the first two batters, Ryu Hyun-jin got pummeled for six runs while giving up six hits, including four in a row, as the Giants batted around. They finished Ryu with two more runs in the second, extending their lead to 8-0.
Ryu (1-1) gave up eight runs — six earned — and eight hits, while getting six outs. The left-hander walked three and struck out two in his third start in six games. He was moved up in the rotation after injured ace Clayton Kershaw went on the disabled list for the first time in his career with a strained back muscle that may sideline him for a month.
After Pablo Sandoval walked and Buster Posey singled, Morse singled them in for a 2-0 lead. Center-fielder Matt Kemp bobbled the hit, allowing Morse to take second on the error before Brandon Belt singled in another run.
Pitcher Ryan Vogelsong’s bloop single scored Belt and Brandon Hicks after an intentional walk to Joaquin Arias, extending San Francisco’s lead to 5-0 before Angel Pagan’s RBI single tacked on another run for the Giants.
Hicks had an RBI double and Arias added an RBI single to make it 8-0 in the second.
The Dodgers got back-to-back homers by Adrian Gonzalez and Andre Ethier leading off the fourth to trail 8-2. Kemp doubled in a run in the fifth for his first hit in his season debut after rehabbing left-ankle and shoulder injuries.
Vogelsong allowed seven hits and four runs in four-plus innings during which he struck out four and walked two.
In Denver, Charlie Blackmon tied a team record with six hits and drove in five runs, as the Colorado Rockies beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 12-2 in their home opener.
Blackmon finished six for six with three doubles and a two-run homer, while Carlos Gonzalez added a two-run triple and a giant two-run homer off the facing of the third deck.
In other NL games, the Philadelphia Phillies thrashed the Chicago Cubs 7-2, the Atlanta Braves edged the Washington Nationals 2-1 and the New York Mets beat the Cincinnati Reds 4-3 for Jenrry Mejia’s first victory of the season.
The day’s remaining NL results were lopsided, with the Pittsburgh Pirates destroying the St Louis Cardinals 12-2, while the Florida Marlins overcame the San Diego Padres 8-2 and the LA Angels crushed the Houston Astros 11-1.
In the American League, Miguel Cabrera homered in the eighth inning for his 2,000th career hit as the Detroit Tigers rolled to a 10-4 victory over the Baltimore Orioles.
Cabrera also hit three singles and his two-run drive made him the ninth player to reach 2,000 hits before turning 31.
Rajai Davis and Torii Hunter also homered for the Tigers. Drew Smyly (1-0) relieved Anibal Sanchez after a fourth-inning rain delay and pitched three scoreless innings.
Miguel Gonzalez (0-1) allowed seven runs and nine hits in 3-1/3 innings.
In Friday’s other AL fixtures, Nick Swisher hit a two-run homer in the sixth inning to lead the Cleveland Indians to a 7-2 home-opening win over the Minnesota Twins, as Alex Gordon drove in three runs as the Kansas City Royals beat the Chicago White Sox 7-5.
In other AL action, the Tampa Bay Rays routed the Texas Rangers 8-1 and the New York Yankees beat the Toronto Blue Jays 7-3, while the Milwaukee Brewers beat the Boston Red Sox 6-2 in interleague play.
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