Dodgers sweep opening series over D-backs in Sydney

Los Angeles Dodgers runner Yassiel Puig (L) The Los Angeles Dodgers completed a 2-0 opening day Major League Baseball sweep over National League rivals Arizona Diamondbacks with a 7-5 win in the second match in Sydney on Sunday. The Dodgers, who downed the D-backs 3-1 in Saturday's first game, gave up four runs in the final innings as Arizona made for some late excitement.
The iconic Sydney Cricket Ground, where Australia wrapped up a 5-0 Ashes cricket series win over England in January, was hosting its first baseball match since the Chicago White Sox played a 1914 exhibition there.
"It's good to leave here with the two wins. At the end of the day, you're not going to get too upset over that," Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said.
"I thought there was a great atmosphere the last couple of days. I think it was worth it, for sure.
"It's historic and I think, for all of us involved, it'll be something that we won't forget."
Korean pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu allowed two hits in five scoreless innings, and struck out five and walked one before he was taken off for the Dodgers.
The Dodgers bullpen didn't fare as well, with Kenley Jansen allowing a two-run homer to Mark Trumbo as the D-backs tried to claw back from a six-run deficit in the ninth.
The Diamondbacks had taken until the eighth inning to get on the board after the Dodgers had accumulated 13 hits and eight walks plus three Arizona errors.
Trumbo provided a glimmer of hope with a two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth, but it proved too little, too late.
Cuban Yasiel Puig earlier smashed one straight up the middle in the first inning, before Andre Ethier batted him home for a 1-0 lead.
At the top of the third Hyun-Jin Ryu got a base hit, before scoring off a Puig RBI (runs batted in).
By the end of the inning, it was 3-0 to the Dodgers.
Two more runs were scored in the fifth, when Adrian Gonzalez crossed the plate and Ethier got home off a Juan Uribe hit that nearly cleared the fence.
In the sixth, Puig starred again with a line drive that saw Dee Gordon score for 6-0.
The Dodgers will have a week off when they return to Los Angeles for a few workouts and jet-lag recovery before the resumption of games in San Diego next Sunday.
"We're just disappointed we didn't win," Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson said.
"This event was outstanding. We certainly would like to come back if we're invited."
Organisers announced a combined weekend attendance at the Sydney Cricket Ground of 76,345 fans.
Australia's first-ever tilt at hosting a major league double-header comes after showcase matches in Japan in 2000, 2004, 2008 and 2012, as well as openers in Mexico and Puerto Rico.
Source: AFP