page_title: 2013 Los Angeles Dodgers season
section_title: April
hierarchical_section_title: 2013 Los Angeles Dodgers season / Regular season / April
caption_attribution_description: English: Matt Magill with the Albuquerque Isotopes
context_page_description: The 2013 Los Angeles Dodgers season was the 124th for the franchise in Major League Baseball, and their 56th season in Los Angeles. The Dodgers dealt with a series of injuries to key players during the first half of the season and on June 21 were 31-42, 9 1/2 games back in last place in the NL West. Beginning with a 6-1 win over the San Diego Padres on June 22, the return of the injured players, and the emergence of rookie Yasiel Puig, they went 46-10 through August 23 as the rest of the division collapsed. On September 19, they clinched the Western Division title. This was the earliest the Dodgers had ever clinched a title and the largest deficit they had ever overcome to win the division. They opened the playoffs by defeating the Atlanta Braves in the Division Series and advanced to the NL Championship Series. In the National League Championship Series, they lost to the St. Louis Cardinals in six games.
context_section_description: The Dodgers began the regular season at home on April 1 against the San Francisco Giants. Clayton Kershaw made the opening day start for the third straight season and pitched a complete game shutout as the Dodgers won 4-0. Kershaw also hit his first career home run in the game, for the Dodgers' first run in the bottom of the 8th. Korean pitcher Hyun-jin Ryu made his Major League debut the following day, allowing three runs (one earned) on 10 hits in 6 1/3 innings to pick up the 3-0 loss. The Dodgers went 1 for 14 with runners in scoring position in the series finale, and Pablo Sandoval and Hunter Pence hit homers off Josh Beckett as the Giants won 5-3. Zack Greinke made his Dodgers debut on April 5, pitching a two-hitter for 6 1/3 innings in the Dodgers' 3-0 win. Andre Ethier hit a solo homer in the game. In his second start of the season, Kershaw pitched seven shutout innings while striking out nine and only allowing two hits in the 1-0 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Dodgers finished off their three-game sweep of the Pirates with a 6-2 win on April 7. Adrián González had four RBI and Ryu picked up his first Major League win in the game.
  The Dodgers began their first road trip of the season on April 9 at Petco Park against the San Diego Padres. The bullpen allowed 5 runs to score in the bottom of the 8th and the team lost 9-3. In Game 2 of the Padres series, Chad Billingsley made his first start of the season and allowed only one run in six innings. Carl Crawford and A. J. Ellis both homered in the 4-3 win. The Dodgers won the third game of the series, 3-2, thanks to a go-ahead pinch hit home run by Juan Uribe. However, pitcher Zack Greinke injured his left collarbone when Carlos Quentin charged the mound and tackled him to the ground after he was hit by a pitch. Kershaw pitched well again in his next start, against the Arizona Diamondbacks, but the offense failed to score and the team lost 3-0. Ryu struck out nine in six innings in his next start and also went 3 for 3 at the plate as the Dodgers beat the Diamondbacks 7-5. Josh Beckett struck out nine in the next game and pitched a complete game, but the offense failed to score and he allowed the game-winning hit by Paul Goldschmidt in the bottom of the ninth of the 1-0 loss.
  The Dodgers returned home on April 15 for a Jackie Robinson Day game against the Padres. Eric Stults hit a three-run homer off Chad Billingsley and the Dodgers again were unable to get key hits and lost 6-3. Chris Capuano made his first start of the season on April 16, replacing the injured Zack Greinke in the rotation. He struggled early, allowing four runs in the first inning and then left the game in the top of the third after suffering his own injury, a strained left calf. The Dodgers lost 9-2. Kershaw picked up his 1,000th career strikeout when he fanned Yonder Alonso of the Padres in the 2nd inning on April 17. He became the youngest Dodger pitcher to reach that mark since Fernando Valenzuela. However, he struggled after that and the offense again failed to do much as the team lost 7-2. The Dodgers were swept at home by the Padres for the first time since 2006.
  The Dodgers were rained out on April 19 at Camden Yards and forced to play a doubleheader the following day against the Baltimore Orioles. Their losing streak extended to six games after they lost both games of the doubleheader. In the first game, Andre Ethier hit a three-run homer in the first to stake the Dodgers to a 4-0 lead but Ryu allowed two home runs and the bullpen again failed as the team lost 7-5. Manny Machado battered Beckett for a homer, double, single and 4 RBIs in the nightcap as the Orioles won 6-1. The Dodgers woes continued when Chad Billingsley was scratched from his scheduled April 20 start and placed on the disabled list due to pain in his elbow. Stephen Fife was recalled from AAA Albuquerque to make the start. The Dodgers did manage to end the six-game losing streak with a 7-4 victory in the series finale. Mark Ellis hit two home runs in the Dodgers 7-2 victory over the New York Mets at Citi Field on Apr
caption: Matt Magill made his Major League debut on April 27
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