(Sports Network) - Adrian Gonzalez paid immediate dividends for the Los Angeles Dodgers in his debut on Saturday.
On Sunday, he will try to get the Dodgers closer in the National League West standings and lead his new team to a three-game sweep of the Miami Marlins at Dodger Stadium.
Just hours after being officially traded from Boston, Gonzalez made himself right at home at Chavez Ravine, homering in his first at-bat to set the tone in an 8-2 win for the Dodgers.
"During my first at-bat, I had my adrenaline going," Gonzalez said during an on-field press conference after the game. "My mentality was to get the guy in from third, the second pitch was a fastball in. When I saw the flight of the ball, it was a great thing."
Gonzalez, who spent five years with the San Diego Padres from 2006-10, finished 1-for-5, as the Dodgers inched to two games back of the San Francisco Giants in the division.
Boston sent the first baseman Gonzalez, outfielder Carl Crawford, right-hander Josh Beckett and infielder Nick Punto to the Dodgers in exchange for first baseman James Loney and two prospects -- pitcher Allen Webster and infielder Ivan De Jesus -- along with two players to be named later in perhaps the biggest waiver-wire trade in the history of Major League Baseball.
The no-longer-cash-strapped Dodgers took on approximately $270 million in the blockbuster.
Almost lost in the shuffle in all the Gonzalez hoopla was the fact that Andre Ethier went 4-for-4 in Saturday's win and tied a franchise record with 10 straight hits. His bloop single in the seventh inning tied a club mark that was set in 1919 by first baseman Ed Konetchy.
"Andre can hit, he's a streaky guy, shortening up his swing has helped him," Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said.
Clayton Kershaw (12-7) fanned eight and surrendered two runs on three hits and two walks in eight innings for Los Angeles, which has won two straight on the heels of a three-game losing streak. The reigning NL Cy Young Award winner is 5-1 with a 1.94 ERA in his last six starts.
Josh Johnson (7-11), who has lost four consecutive decisions, allowed six runs on 10 hits and a walk for Miami, which has dropped four straight contests.
"JJ was off on everything tonight," Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen said. "When you face that lineup, you need to bring your best stuff. Today he didn't have it with him."
Getting the call for the Dodgers on Sunday will be veteran right-hander Aaron Harang, who has won his last two starts. Harang was terrific in beating the Atlanta Braves on Aug. 18, holding them to a run and four hits in 6 2/3 innings to run his record to 9-7 to go along with a 3.65 ERA.
He has never faced the Marlins, who will counter with lefty Mark Buehrle.
Buehrle won his second straight start on Monday in Arizona, as he yielded two runs and six hits in seven innings to improve to 11-11, while lowering his ERA to 3.69.
He lost to the Dodgers the last time he faced them and is 3-2 in five starts against them with a 2.25 ERA.
The Dodgers took two of three from the Marlins earlier in the year.
