Johan Santana wasted no time putting the National League on notice with a dominating opening day start for the New York Mets.

Joe Torre appears to have the Los Angeles Dodgers ready to make a run in the NL West this season.

Santana struck out eight and gave up three hits in seven innings, leading the New York Mets to a 7-2 win over the host Florida Marlins on Monday.

"Off to a good start," Mets manager Willie Randolph said. "Santana was outstanding today. He was pounding the zone all day and I thought he threw even better than he looked, because he threw a lot of strikes and balls that were kind of borderline that he didn't get. But he made pitches when he had to, and it's nice to have the big horse start things for you."

Santana was traded to the Mets from Minnesota this winter and signed a $137.5 million, six-year contract. He dazzled Monday from beginning to end. The two-time Cy Young Award winner struck out Hanley Ramirez to begin the game and Matt Treanor to end his outing.

Brad Penny gave up four hits over 6 2/3 innings in his first opening day start, Jeff Kent hit a two-run homer off Barry Zito to cap a three-run first, and the Dodgers beat the San Francisco Giants 5-0 Monday in Torre's first game wearing Dodger blue.

"It's just total excitement," Torre said, after a near-sleepless night.

Torre managed the Yankees to 12 straight postseason appearances, including four World Series championships before rejecting an offer to continue on the job last fall. He joined the Dodgers two weeks later.

"He's brought a big bucket of professionalism and accountability that, at this time, this team needs," Kent said of Torre. "That's a good thing."

Santana retired the first nine Marlins, then went 28 minutes without throwing a pitch while his teammates batted around in a six-run fourth inning against Mark Hendrickson (0-1). Ramirez drew a leadoff walk in the bottom half and, two outs later, Josh Willingham homered to left field.

Santana set down seven of the next nine batters, striking out five. When he walked off the field after the seventh, the decidedly pro-Mets crowd of 38,308 at Dolphin Stadium gave him a long cheer.

At Los Angeles, in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Dodgers' move from Brooklyn, Duke Snider, Carl Erskine, Don Newcombe and Tom Lasorda were among those who took the field before the game wearing the uniforms of their era.

"There's such a strong connection with the Dodgers to the history of baseball," Torre said. "I remember growing up it was that way."

Torre also maintained a connection with the Yankees.

"I called several of my players — my former players, I should say — to wish them luck," Torre said before the game.

Nationals 11, Phillies 6

At Philadelphia, Nick Johnson's tiebreaking RBI double off Tom Gordon highlighted a five-run ninth inning.

Brewers 4, Cubs 3

At Chicago, Tony Gwynn hit a sacrifice fly in the 10th inning, and Milwaukee beat Chicago.

Kosuke Fukudome went 3-for-3, hitting a tying, three-run homer in the ninth off Eric Gagne (1-0), but it wasn't enough for the Cubs.

Diamondbacks 4, Reds 2

At Cincinnati, Brandon Webb pitched six innings, and light-hitting Arizona piled up three solo homers in a victory that dampened Dusty Baker's debut as the Reds' manager.

Padres 4, Astros 0

At San Diego, Jake Peavy hit an RBI single and a sacrifice fly, and pitched seven innings of three-hit ball to lead the Padres over the Astros.