SAN DIEGO (AP) - Dan Haren finally feels comfortable in Dodger blue.
Haren didn’t go with the Dodgers to Australia for their season-opening, two-game series against Arizona, so he didn’t get his first taste of real action with his new team until he threw six strong innings in a 5-1 victory against the San Diego Padres on Wednesday night.
“I feel like part of the team now,” Haren said. “I haven’t done anything up to now. I’m just happy that I was able to come through for the guys.
“I really wasn’t with the team that much,” said Haren, who signed as a free agent in late November. “Teams often bond on the road. They’re in the clubhouse a lot, on the plane or bus, whatever. So I really didn’t have that. I’m just glad I was able to come through, and I’m looking forward to getting back home.”
While the Dodgers were in Arizona, Haren, their No. 4 starter, pitched in minor league games.
“Man, I got my butt kicked in those camp games,” he said. “The adrenaline level, there’s nobody watching, it’s dead silence. It’s hard to simulate major league innings.”
Haren retired the first nine batters before Everth Cabrera singled to center leading off the fourth and eventually scored on Yonder Alonso’s one-out single to right. The run was unearned because Seth Smith, batting after Cabrera, reached on catcher’s interference by A.J. Ellis.
Haren (1-0) allowed four hits, struck out seven and walked none.
The Dodgers took two of three from the Padres and now play their home opener Friday afternoon against San Francisco.
The Dodgers jumped on Tyson Ross (0-1) for three runs in the first inning.
Carl Crawford doubled to left-center and advanced on Yasiel Puig’s sacrifice bunt. Puig was safe when Ross’ throw pulled first baseman Alonso off the bag. Manager Bud Black went out to challenge the play, but umpires determined he didn’t do so in a timely manner.
Hanley Ramirez doubled to left to bring in both runners and then scored on Adrian Gonzalez’s single to center.
Ramirez scored again in the fifth when he walked with one out and eventually came in on Andre Ethier’s two-out single to right.
Ross allowed four runs, three earned, in five innings while striking out seven and walking four.
“His stuff was good, he just really couldn’t command his fastball early in the game,” Black said. “The first two innings, 50-plus pitches. He had to work awfully hard to get those six outs. He had a real tough team getting the ball in the strike zone early.
“Haren, on the other hand, was getting the ball in the strike zone early. He was pretty efficient the first three innings.”
Los Angeles added another run in the eighth against Donn Roach, who was making his big league debut. Roach came on with two outs and allowed singles to Juan Uribe and Ellis, and an RBI double to Dee Gordon.
NOTES: The Dodgers put reliever Brian Wilson on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to Monday, with inflammation in the ulnar nerve in his right elbow, and recalled right-hander Jose Dominguez from Triple-A Albuquerque. Manager Don Mattingly said Wilson threw Wednesday and will continue building from there. … Mattingly said OF Matt Kemp (right ankle surgery) is on track to be activated from the disabled list on Friday. … RHP Josh Beckett (bruised right thumb) is scheduled to pitch for Class-A Rancho Cucamonga on Friday night as he works his way back from the DL. … The Padres claimed LHP Bobby LaFromboise off waivers from the Seattle Mariners and optioned him to Triple-A El Paso. To make room on the 40-man roster, the club transferred right-hander Joe Wieland from the 15-day disabled list to the 60-day DL. Wieland, still rehabbing from reconstructive elbow surgery, recently had arthroscopic surgery to relieve irritation in the back of his elbow, pushing back his return. Manager Bud Black thinks Wieland can return before the All-Star break. … Both teams are off Thursday. The Dodgers play their home opener Friday against San Francisco. RHP Ryan Vogelsong is scheduled to make his season debut for the Giants while LHP Hyun-Jin Ryu (1-0) goes for the Dodgers. The Padres are at Miami. The scheduled starters are LHP Eric Stults (season debut) for San Diego and RHP Tom Koehler (season debut) for Miami
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