Los Angeles Dodgers’ new recruit Kenta Maeda homers in MLB debut (AFP)

Japanese pitcher Kenta Maeda hit a home run -- and tossed six solid innings -- to lead the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 7-0 victory over the Padres in San Diego in his Major League Baseball debut. Maeda, who inked an eight-year, $25 million deal in January after spending eight seasons with the Hiroshima Carp, on Wednesday homered in his second at-bat, driving an 0-2 pitch from Andrew Cashner into the left field seats with one out in the fourth inning to put the Dodgers up 5-0.