Dodgers romp to historic win

LOS ANGELES — Clayton Kershaw produced a pitching masterclass as the Los Angeles Dodgers launched their latest quest for a long-awaited World Series crown with a record 15-0 drubbing of the San Diego Padres Monday. Kershaw pitched seven innings of one-hit ball as the Dodgers scored the biggest opening Day shutout win in baseball history. It was the heaviest opening defeat in the Padres’ 48-season history and a dream debut for the Dodgers new manager Dave Roberts. The defeat represented a nightmare start for new Padres manager Andy Green however. “No one wants to come out and lay an egg on Opening Day and get beat 15-0,” Green remarked glumly after the loss. The victory maintained Kershaw’s recent stranglehold over San Diego. The three-time Cy Young Award winner has not lost to the Padres since June 2013, winning in five of his past seven outings at Petco Park. Kershaw was touched for a clean two-out single by John Jay in the third inning and ultimately struck out nine, walked one and retired the final 13 batters he faced. “We just kept adding on and adding on,” Kershaw said. “For me, it was just trying to have quick innings.” The Dodgers eased into a 3-0 lead after three innings. They piled on the agony for San Diego with a five-run sixth. The Dodgers, who have not won the World Series since 1988, have the highest payroll in Major League Baseball this season as they aim to end their long wait for a title. Rockies 10, Diamondbacks 5: Colorado rookie Trevor Story made history in his major league debut while spoiling $206.5 million right-hander Zack Greinke’s first Arizona start in the Rockies’ 10-5 victory over the Diamondbacks in the season opener at Chase Field. Story hit a three-run home run in a six-run third inning and added a bases-empty homer in the fourth, becoming the first rookie to produce a multi-homer game in his major league debut on Opening Day. Rangers 3, Mariners 2: The Rangers got just one hit, but they took advantage of two Seattle Mariners errors in the fifth inning to score three times. The Texas win snapped a nine-game Opening Day winning streak for the Mariners. Seattle ace Felix Hernandez took the loss and his record on Opening Day fell to 6-1. Three walks around an error by third baseman Kyle Seager produced one Texas run. Prince Fielder tied the game with the Rangers’ only a hit, an RBI bloop single to left. That tied the game 2-2, and an error by shortstop Ketel Marte allowed the go-ahead run to score. Cubs 9, Angels 0: Jake Arrieta began the 2016 season pitching like the Cy Young Award winner he was last year. The Cubs right-hander threw seven scoreless innings, leading Chicago to a 9-0 win over the Los Angeles Angels on Monday night in the season opener at Angel Stadium. Giants 12, Brewers 3: Denard Span drove five runs, Matt Duffy sent in four and the Giants clubbed four home runs, opening the 2016 season with a rout at Miller Park. In other games it was: White Sox 4, A’s 3; Reds 6, Phillies 2; Nationals 4, Braves 3 (10 innings); Orioles 3, Twins 2; Blue Jays 5, Rays 3; Indians-Red Sox postponed.