MLB notes: L.A. prevails Down Under

Opening day turned out to be a pretty g’day for the Los Angeles Dodgers and ace Clayton Kershaw.

Kershaw flashed his Cy Young form, Scott Van Slyke homered and the N.L. West champions opened the Major League Baseball season with a 3-1 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday at Sydney Cricket Ground.

Kershaw, who signed a seven-year, $215 million contract in January, allowed one run and five hits in 6 2/3 innings. Van Slyke hit a two-run homer and also doubled.

Kershaw was impressive while making his fourth consecutive opening-day start. He struck out seven, walked one and was pulled by manager Don Mattingly after throwing his 102nd pitch.

Quite a turnaround from spring training, when the two-time NL Cy Young winner went 0-3 with a 9.20 ERA in four starts.

“Sometimes you just need the adrenaline of a regular-season game, and I just kind of feel relieved to get this one under my belt,” he said.

“It’s always good to get results, obviously,” he said. “This one counted.”

In his previous opening-day starts, Kershaw was 2-0 with 19 strikeouts in 19 scoreless innings.

“Kershaw did a good job keeping us in the middle of the diamond,” Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson said. “He threw a good ballgame against us. We know they’re always going to be close.”

Three relievers kept the Diamondbacks scoreless with hitless work. Chris Perez, a two-time All-Star with Cleveland before joining the Dodgers in the offseason, got the last out in the seventh.

Brian Wilson pitched the eighth and closer Kenley Jansen got the save. Jansen walked a batter before getting Gerardo Parra to ground out to end the game.

“Clayton was really good, kind of as always … kind of doing his thing,” Mattingly said. “He’s a tough guy to take out of the game, he always wants to stay in. And I thought our bullpen was really good tonight. Chris comes in and gets a big out for us there and Wilson did a good job and Jansen in closing the door.”

The Diamondbacks scored in the sixth after a double by Paul Goldschmidt, who had two hits. He moved to third on Kershaw’s wild pitch and scored on Trumbo’s infield out.

A series of thunderstorms but little rain around the stadium about two hours ahead of the start cut short the Dodgers’ batting practice and tarp was rolled on to the field. That caused the start of the game to be delayed and canceled the pregame ceremonies.

Rays, Orioles tie

Alex Cobb struck out 12 in seven innings and the Tampa Bay Rays and Baltimore Orioles played to a 3-3, 10-inning tie in Port Charlotte, Fla.

Delmon Young homered, singled and picked a catch off the top of the left field wall with the tying run on base in the eighth inning for the Orioles.

Young led off the second with the first spring home run against Cobb, who gave up six hits.

Clearing the bases

Cleveland released outfielder Jeff Francoeur. Francoeur had 35 at-bats with the Indians this spring, hitting .286 with one home run and 10 RBIs…. Ron Roenicke has a contract to manage the Brewers through next year after the club exercised its option for 2015. Roenicke is entering his fourth year in Milwaukee. He has a record of 253-233, and the Brewers won the 2011 N.L. Central title and a franchise-record 96 games his first season…. Julio Teheran, who was 14-8 with a 3.20 ERA last year as a rookie, will get the opening day start for the Atlanta Braves. Manager Fredi Gonzalez told Teheran on Saturday he’ll start on March 31 in Milwaukee.