SAN DIEGO — Yasiel Puig hit a 410-foot drive for a two-run homer and Zack Greinke won his season debut, leading the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 3-2 victory against the San Diego Padres on Tuesday.
Carl Crawford started the game with a base hit and Puig then drove a 2-1 pitch from Ian Kennedy into the balcony on the third deck of the Western Metal Supply Co. Building in the left-field corner. It was his first homer.
It was the second time Kennedy faced the Dodgers since June 11, when, while with Arizona, he hit Puig and Greinke with pitches, inciting a brawl at Dodger Stadium. Kennedy was suspended 10 games. He was traded to the Padres on July 31.
San Diego loaded the bases with two outs in the ninth against Kenley Jansen, on singles by Yonder Alonso and Will Venable, and a walk to Yasmani Grandal. The closer then struck out pinch-hitter Nick Hundley to earn his second save in two chances.
Greinke retired his first 10 batters before Seth Smith homered into a party deck atop the right-field wall, trimming San Diego’s deficit to 3-1. Smith earned the start in left field against the right-handed Greinke after homering to start an eighth-inning rally in a 3-1 win Sunday night.
Greinke (1-0) went five innings, allowing two runs and two hits while striking out five and walking two.
The Dodgers took a 3-0 lead in the fourth when Dee Gordon singled in Juan Uribe. Uribe doubled to right-center with two outs and took third on second baseman Jedd Gyorko’s error.
Gyorko had gone into the shallow outfield to take the throw from right fielder Chris Denorfia. He turned and started to throw, but apparently realized there was no play at third and tried to hold up, losing his grip on the ball. That allowed Uribe to advance.
San Diego pulled to 3-2 in the fifth when Gyorko drew a leadoff walk and eventually scored on wild pitch.
Kennedy (0-1) allowed three runs and five hits in five innings.
Greinke was making his third start in San Diego since the Dodgers and Padres brawled here on April 11. That melee started after Greinke hit Carlos Quentin with a pitch. Quentin rushed the mound and slammed into Greinke, whose left collarbone was broken. Quentin started this season on the disabled list with a bone bruise in his left knee.