The Los Angeles Dodgers started the 2020 regular season with an 8-1 opening day win at home over the San Francisco Giants Thursday night.

The Dodgers gave up the lead early, but exploded for seven runs late in a dominant start to the shortened 60-game season.

22-year old pitcher Dustin May got the start for the Dodgers after Clayton Kershaw was placed on the 10-day injured list with a sore back four hours before first pitch.

With the start, May became the first Dodger rookie to start opening day since Fernando Valenzuela in 1981.

May gave up a single run in just over four innings pitched, when Pablo Sandoval drove in Tyler Heinemen in the third inning to give the Giants an early lead.

Kike Hernandez answered back to tie things up with an RBI single to left-center in the fourth inning.

The Dodgers went to the bullpen and didn’t give up another run the rest of the night, but put a flash of their offense capabilities late as they poured on seven runs in the seventh and eighth innings for a commanding 8-1 score.

Right fielder Mookie Betts made his Dodger debut after signing a 12-year, $365 million contract Wednesday, and set up the go ahead run with his single in the seventh inning.

A Cody Bellinger double advanced Betts to third where he was driven home by a Justin Turner ground ball to second base.

Hernandez got involved with the late outburst as well with a two RBI single to right field shortly after Betts’ go ahead score. He tacked on two more with a two-run home run to left field in the eighth.

The Dodgers return Friday night for the second of their four game home series against the San Francisco Giants at 6:40 p.m.

Santa Clarita residents can tune into all Dodger home games live on KHTS Radio, FM 98.1 and AM 1220.

KHTS Sports is your place for the 2020 Santa Clarita high school football season and your Santa Clarita Dodgers coverage. Find all the latest news and updates on your hometown schools here as they compete in the Foothill League, Heritage League, Western State Conference and GSAC.

THE LOS ANGELES DODGERS ARE BROUGHT TO YOU LOCALLY BY: