SYDNEY — Fans' obsession with catching foul balls, the wind that prevented more balls from clearing the fence and the fact Australians drink more beer than Americans were the main talking points after Saturday's MLB season opener Down Under.
For the record, the Los Angeles Dodgers won the game 3-1 with a dominant performance from Clayton Kershaw and Scott Van Slyke's two-run homer in the fourth inning.
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But the result seemed secondary. An excitable crowd of 38,266 lapped up every second of opening day and their first live taste of MLB action at the iconic Sydney Cricket Ground.
"I just feel relieved to get this one out of the way," said Kershaw, who was superbe for 6 2/3 innings.
"Everything is a little different but once you start warming up it's the same."
While American fans and baseball aficionados elsewhere are accustomed to fielding balls hit into the stands, Aussies took great delight in being able to keep them. They can't do that in cricket matches, which require spectators to return balls to the pitch.
With a second game Sunday (starting time 10 p.m. ET Saturday, 7 p.m. PT), Dodgers manager Don Mattingly heaped praise on Kershaw is his postgame analysis.
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"Clayton was really good for us tonight, as always, kind of doing his thing," Mattingly said.
"He's a tough guy to take out of a game, he always wants to stay in and I thought our bullpen was really good tonight."
Kershaw's departure was made for obvious reasons.
"You have to stay with us for a while to understand the importance of Clayton because every five days you get a good outing," Mattingly said.
Weather was a factor in the game, which started late because of lightning in the area.
Mattingly made mention of the gusty winds. Van Slyke admitted he underestimated the breeze when he hit what he thought was a home run in the second inning. Instead the ball hit halfway up the left-field fence. He settled for a double.
"I gave [first base coach Davey Lopes] a high-five and looked up to the ball coming back in," said Van Slyke, starting because of Matt Kemp's injury.
Van Slyke, son of a former big-league player, should be accustomed to beverages in the stands. And he shouldn't be surprised to see Aussie fans' preference of potables. "I noticed that a lot more people here have beers in their hands," he said.
And so it is in the land Down Under.