Dodgers 4, Giants 0: Clayton Kershaw threw a four-hitter and helped his cause with a solo home run in the bottom of the eighth inning to lift host Los Angeles.

Kershaw (1-0) broke a scoreless tie by slamming the first pitch of the eighth over the center-field fence off reliever George Kontos for his first major league home run and went on to mark his third straight Opening Day start without allowing a run.

Kershaw outdueled Giants starter Matt Cain, who needed 32 pitches to get out of the first inning, then settled in and retired the side in order in three of the next four innings. He escaped the sixth after Mark Ellis led off with a sun-aided double and gave way to Kontos (0-1) in the seventh after throwing 92 pitches.

Kershaw retired 11 in a row and 16 of 17 at one point before Giants third baseman Pablo Sandoval recorded his second hit with one out in the seventh. Kershaw got Sandoval to pop out to end the game on his 94th pitch.

After Kershaw’s home run, Carl Crawford followed with a double down the left-field line, Ellis reached on a bunt single and Crawford scored on a wild pitch before Ellis and Matt Kemp scored on infield groundouts to make it 4-0.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Kershaw is the first pitcher to hit a home run on Opening Day since Joe Magrane of the Cardinals in 1988. He’s also the first Dodgers left-hander to make three straight Opening Day starts since Fernando Valenzuela made four straight from 1984-87. ... Crawford, obtained in a trade with the Red Sox last August, made his Dodgers debut in the lead-off spot. He singled to open the first but was later thrown out trying to steal third off Cain, who allowed the most stolen bases in the league last season (19). … Sandoval had two at-bats since March 16 because of a right elbow injury, but got the start after taking pain-free batting practice before leaving for Los Angeles. Giants manager Bruce Bochy said Sandoval still feels discomfort when hitting left-handed and remains day-to-day.