SAN DIEGO — Left-hander Hyun-Jin Ryu said he had all his pitches working Sunday night against the San Diego Padres.
And that is a formidable arsenal — fastball, slider, curve and changeup.
“His fastball and change were what we’ve come to expect,” Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said after San Diego rallied off the Los Angeles bullpen to pull out a 3-1 win. “He used his curve and slider more tonight, and they were both very sharp.”
In two starts for the Dodgers this season, Ryu has allowed one run on five hits in 13 1/3 innings. He beat the Arizona Diamondbacks in Australia before shutting out the Padres over seven innings Sunday night.
“I was in trouble early,” the 27-year-old South Korean said through an interpreter. “I didn’t like that. But I liked the way I pitched to get out of trouble in the first and the second.”
After giving up back-to-back singles to open the second, Ryu retired
16 straight Padres. He wound up allowing three hits and three walks while striking out seven.
The Dodgers hope to get another strong pitching performance Tuesday when the series resumes after an off day. Right-hander Zack Greinke, who was slowed in spring training due to a strained right calf, will make his season debut. He missed the season-opening trip Down Under due to a calf ailment.