Padres 8, Dodgers 7; Dodgers 8, Royals 1

AT THE PLATE: A day after Manager Don Mattingly said Yasiel Puig would start the season in the minor leagues, the 22-year-old Cuban outfielder was three for three with a home run to raise his spring average to .459. Puig’s two-run home run in the first inning against the Royals was a line-drive missile to right-center field. His third-inning single reached right field so quickly that it nearly resulted in his being thrown out at first base. He almost decapitated Royals pitcher Everett Teaford with his single to center in the fifth inning. Later that inning, Puig stole second base and reached third on a bloop single by Alfredo Amezaga that fell between three players in left field. When the players were slow to pick up the ball, Puig dashed home and scored.

ON THE MOUND: Aaron Harang was charged with five runs (four earned), six hits and two walks in four innings of the Dodgers’ loss to the Padres in the early game. “I felt when I got out of the stretch, I was rushing a little bit too much,” Harang said.

EXTRA BASES: Juan Uribe was four for four with a double against the Royals. Uribe, who batted a combined .199 over his two previous seasons with the Dodgers, is batting .345 this spring. Uribe said he thought his front foot moved too much last season, a problem he is trying to fix by putting more weight on his back foot. “My body’s more quiet, more relaxed,” Uribe said.

UP NEXT: Dodgers vs. Texas Rangers at 1 PDT at Surprise Stadium. On the air: TV: None; Radio: 570.