Padres and Dodgers set for Game 2 Tuesday night
Scott Kazmir has the gargantuan task of replacing Zack Greinke as the Los Angeles Dodgers' No. 2 starter.
If his teammates can provide him even a portion of the support they gave ace Clayton Kershaw in the opener, he could rack up plenty of wins as well.
The veteran left-hander will try to do his part to earn a victory in his first NL start Tuesday night against the San Diego Padres.
Greinke's departure for Arizona after going 19-3 with a major league-best 1.66 ERA left the Dodgers with a massive hole in their rotation. Barring a spectacular turnaround, the 32-year-old Kazmir likely won't duplicate those numbers, but he's not far removed one of the best seasons of his career.
He went 15-9 with a 3.55 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP for Oakland in 2014. He was 5-5 with a 2.38 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP in his first 18 starts last season for the A's before being dealt to Houston on July 23.
Kazmir was lackluster in his hometown, going 2-6 with a 4.17 ERA in 13 starts, but was hardly aided by a 2.95 run support average. The Dodgers (1-0) appear poised to increase that mark for their new teammate, who spent his first 11 seasons in the AL, following a record-breaking 15-0 win over San Diego on Monday.
A.J. Ellis, Adrian Gonzalez and Chase Utley combined for seven hits and eight RBIs in the most-lopsided opening day shutout in MLB history, topping Pittsburgh's 14-0 victory against Cincinnati in 1911.
Every starter hit safely, including Kershaw in his seven innings of work. He also yielded one hit and fanned nine in Los Angeles' seventh consecutive win over San Diego (0-1).
"It was a good day," manager Dave Roberts said following his first major league victory. "There were a lot of good things that happened. Obviously it starts with Kersh and the tone that he sets, him going out there and getting after guys. When you've got No. 1s going against each other, you don't expect to get that many hits and score that many runs."
San Diego finished with four hits in its worst opening loss in its 48 seasons and worst at Petco Park, which opened in 2004.
"Opening day is special. No one wants to come out and lay an egg on opening day and get beat 15-0," first-year manager Andy Green said. "But it's one of 162. Everybody gets smoked like this during the season. It's not a big deal in the long run."
James Shields will attempt to help the Padres rebound in his opener to his second season with the club. The right-hander went 13-7 with a 3.91 ERA in 33 starts, his first NL campaign after nine in the AL and his ninth in a row with at least 10 wins.
Shields went 1-0 with a 3.24 ERA in four starts against the Dodgers in 2015 and gave up two runs or fewer while pitching at least six innings in two matchups. He had particular difficulty keeping the ball in the yard last season, but his five homers allowed to the Dodgers were his fewest against any NL West opponent.
Shields gave up 33 overall, tied for the most in the majors, and 19 in his 16 starts in normally pitcher-friendly Petco.
The Padres are one of three teams Kazmir hasn't defeated in his career, posting no record and a 4.91 ERA in two starts. He hasn't faced the other two, Atlanta and Milwaukee.
Alexei Ramirez is 8 for 22 with four extra-base hits lifetime against Kazmir, including one homer.
