LOS ANGELES: Adrian Gonzalez has hit a three-run homer on the second pitch he saw in a Los Angeles Dodgers uniform.
Hours after arriving at Dodger Stadium on a flight from Boston with Josh Beckett and Nick Punto following Saturday’s blockbuster trade with the Red Sox, Gonzalez drove an 0-1 pitch from Miami right-hander Josh Johnson deep into the lower seats in the right-field corner.
It was his first National League homer since the end of the 2010 season with San Diego.
Gonzalez took over at first base for James Loney, who went to Boston in the deal. The four-time All-Star batted cleanup between Matt Kemp and Hanley Ramirez, with Andre Ethier dropped to sixth despite getting four hits Friday night.
Gonzalez became the sixth player to homer in his first at-bat with the Dodgers.
Padres 9 Diamondbacks 3: In Phoenix, Yonder Alonso hit the last of San Diego’s three solo homers and added a two-run single to lead the streaking Padres past the Arizona Diamondbacks 9-3 on Saturday night.
Chase Headley and Carlos Quentin also homered for the Padres, who have won six in a row.
Clayton Richard (11-12) allowed three runs and seven hits over eight innings, improving to 5-0 in seven career starts against Arizona. He struck out four and walked two.
Justin Upton celebrated his 25th birthday with his first career inside-the-park home run and Aaron Hill also connected for the slumping Diamondbacks, who have lost two straight and four of six.
Arizona is 4-9 in its last 13 home games after winning eight straight at home in July.
Pirates 4 Brewers 0: In Pittsburgh, Jeff Karstens pitched seven-plus innings before leaving with an injury and the Pittsburgh Pirates snapped a four-game losing streak with a 4-0 win over the Milwaukee Brewers on Saturday.
Karstens (5-3) gave up seven hits, did not walk a batter and struck out four for his first victory in nine career starts against Milwaukee.
Karstens also had an RBI single and scored during Pittsburgh’s four-run fifth inning. He left with an injured right groin after the first two Brewers singled in the eighth.
Pedro Alvarez had two hits for Pittsburgh, one game behind St. Louis for the second wild-card spot.
Shaun Marcum (5-4) did not allow an earned run in his first start since June 14. Milwaukee had won four straight.
Phillies 4 Nationals 2: In Philadelphia, Roy Halladay outpitched Gio Gonzalez with seven solid innings and John Mayberry Jr. homered to lead the Philadelphia Phillies to a 4-2 victory over the Washington Nationals on Saturday night.
Halladay (8-7) allowed two runs and seven hits, struck out six and walked one. The right-hander, who missed 42 games with a strained muscle, is 4-1 with a 2.75 ERA in his last five starts.
The two-time Cy Young Award winner improved to 12-2 in 17 career starts against the Nationals franchise while Philadelphia won for the sixth time in the last eight games.
Steve Lombardozzi drove in both runs for Washington, which lost its third straight.
Reds 8 Cardinals 2: In Cincinnati, Brandon Phillips hit his first home run in August, Mike Leake pitched effectively into the seventh inning and the Cincinnati Reds beat the St. Louis Cardinals 8-2 on Saturday to strengthen their hold on the top spot in the NL Central.
Phillips and Ryan Ludwick had three hits apiece and Jay Bruce added a two-run homer as Cincinnati regained a seven-game lead over second-place St. Louis, which rallied to win the series opener 8-5 on Friday night.
Leake (6-8) allowed at least one hit in every inning except one, but kept the Cardinals mostly at bay. Leake, who also had two hits, lasted 6 2-3 innings, allowing 10 hits and two runs.
