Dodgers' Ryu takes loss in season debut

Ryu Hyun-jin of the Los Angeles Dodgers was roughed up in a loss to the San Diego Padres at home Thursday, his season debut following last year's shoulder operation.

Ryu took the loss after giving up six earned runs on eight hits -- including a home run -- and two walks in 4 2/3 innings at Dodger Stadium, as the Dodgers fell 6-0. Ryu was relieved by Casey Fien with a man at third and the Padres leading 6-0. He did have four strikeouts.

This was Ryu's first major league game since Game 3 of the National League Division Series against the St. Louis Cardinals on Oct. 6, 2014. The left-hander had surgery to repair a torn labrum in his pitching shoulder on May 21 last year and missed the entire 2015 season.

Ryu made eight rehab appearances in the minors before rejoining the Dodgers.

Ryu had an ominous start to the game, as he served up a home run to the first batter of the game, Melvin Upton Jr. Ryu settled down and sat down the next three batters in order.

Ryu touched 91 mph with his fastballs against Upton early in the count, and the Padres center fielder golfed a 92 mph inside fastball over the right-center field wall.

Ryu issued a leadoff walk to Derek Norris in the top second and gave up a single to Alexei Ramirez later in the inning. With one out and two on board, Ryu fanned Ryan Schimpf on a 2-2 curve, but Drew Pomeranz, the Padres' starter, helped his own cause with an RBI single up the middle.

Ryu had his first three-up, three-down inning in the third, and struck out Yangervis Solarte on a slider to cap it off.

The left-hander found more trouble in the top of the fourth. Norris hit an infield single and reached second on a throwing error by shortstop Corey Seager. Norris moved to third on a groundout by Alex Dickerson and scored the Padres' third run on a towering double to left center by Ramirez.

Ramirez advanced to third when Schimpf flied out to right, but Ryu avoided further damage by striking out Pomeranz.

Ryu retired the first two batters of the fifth but gave up two straight doubles that made it 4-0 San Diego.

Ryu intentionally walked Norris to face Dickerson, who bats left-handed, but Dickerson made him pay with a two-run triple over right fielder Yasiel Puig.

Puig misread the flight of the line drive and watched the ball sail over his head and toward the wall.

Fien came on and retired Ramirez on a flyout to right.

Ryu made 89 pitches, 55 of them for strikes.

The Dodgers' offense didn't help Ryu very much, managing just two hits off Pomeranz in seven innings. Padres relievers Ryan Buchter and Paul Clemens combined for two shutout innings to complete the victory.

Ryu is the first player to make the jump from the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) to the majors via posting. He won 14 games in each of his first two seasons of 2013 and 2014.

Ryu signed a six-year, $36 million deal before the 2013 season. He is signed through 2018 but can opt out in 2017 if he pitches 750 innings combined from 2013 to 2017. He's sitting at 344 innings. (Yonhap)