SYNDEY — Clayton Kershaw and the Los Angeles Dodgers made a winning start Saturday in baseball's first season opener Down Under, defeating the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Scott Van Slyke gave the Dodgers a 1-0 lead with a second-inning double, and then increased it to 3-0 with a two-run homer in the fourth. The D-backs' run came in the sixth.

Thunder and lightning delayed the start of the 2014 MLB season by a few minutes but that didn't dampen the enthusiasm of the near-sellout crowd at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

Diamondbacks second baseman Aaron Hill got the first MLB base hit in Australia, and Dodgers shortstop Hanley Ramirez committed the first error.

D-backs starter Wade Miley walked Adrian Gonzalez to start the second. Van Slyke doubled off the left-field fence, putting runners on second and third. Gonzalez scored on an Andre Either ground-out.

Van Slyke, starting in place of injured Matt Kemp, homered off Miley for the Dodgers' final runs.

Paul Goldsmidt doubled to start, took third on a wild pitch and scored on Mark Trumbo's ground out.

Kershaw exited with two batters out in the bottom of the seventh. Chris Perez and Brian Wilson followed before closer Kenley Jansen finished.


The atmosphere


From the moment the covers came off the field the atmosphere lifted noticeably. Australian of the Year Adam Goodes, a star in the Australian Football League, threw the opening pitch. The Star-Spangled Banner and Advance Australia Fair were sung.

The crowd seemed more interested in the novelty of catching a foul ball than what was happening on the field. But the assembled 38,266 got into the swing of things.

In cricket, balls hit into the stands are returned to the field.


Who dominated?


Van Slyke's two-run homer was crucial, but the night belonged to Kershaw, baseball's highest-paid pitcher. In 6 2/3 innings the two-time Cy Young Award winner allowed five hits, one earned run, one walk and one wild pitch, and produced 72 strikes from 102 pitches. He struck out seven.


Who stank it up?


Miley had a rough start in place of the D-backs' expected ace, Patrick Corbin. He conceded three earned runs, three hits, two walks, threw one wild pitch and had eight strikeouts from 83 pitches before he was replaced after five innings. He did get out of a jam with the bases loaded in the fifth before being replaced by Will Harris.


What the ...


A hot dog that stretches two feet in length is more than a little impressive, but $40, really?


Crocodile Dundee says


These Yanks sure know how to put on a show. Not sure about their tucker but a great night out for the blokes and sheilas that packed into the SCG to witness a bit of history. I give the whole experience eight crocs out of 10.

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