Freeway Series Game 2 Recap: Pederson Ties Game In Extra Innings Win

The Dodgers called upon prospect Zach Lee to start in the second game of their exhibition series against the Angels at Dodger Stadium. In the first inning, the 22-year-old gave up an early home run to Josh Hamilton with Kole Calhoun and Albert Pujols on base. He managed to work his way out of the rest of the inning, but the Angels were up 3-0 heading into the bottom of the first. Garrett Richards took the mound for the Halos and logged a hitless inning including strikeouts to both Yasiel Puig and Hanley Ramirez.

Lee’s nerves continued to show in the second. The pitcher overthrew a routine ball to Adrian Gonzalez allowing Erick Aybar to reach first, but Lee managed to hold the Angels to three runs. In the bottom of the inning, Andre Ethier drew the walk and A.J. Ellis hit a ground ball up the middle to advance Ethier to second. Although, both runners were left on base after Dee Gordon struck out looking. In the third, Pujols hit a sharp line drive down the third base line for a double, and a David Freese base hit allowed Pujols to advance home before Puig’s throw could make it to Ellis. The Angels extended their lead to four going into the bottom of the third. Richards only gave up one hit to Puig before striking out Ramirez for the second time to close out the inning.

Going into the fourth, Lee looked more comfortable on the mound allowing only his second walk of the game and closing out the inning with a 4-6-3 double play. The Dodgers finally gave Richards some trouble in fourth inning. Gonzalez lead off with a pop fly over Aybar’s head for a single, Ethier followed up with a line drive, and Uribe then loaded the bases with a flare into shallow center with no outs. Ellis eventually hit into a double play, and Gonzalez was the only Dodger to score during the inning making the score 4-1.

In his fifth and final inning, Lee had his strongest outing of the game allowing zero batters to reach base thanks to three consecutive plays from Gordon. Richards also completed a swift 1-2-3 inning to finish off the inning. Chris Withrow took over for Lee and ended the sixth with a scoreless inning.

To begin the bottom of the sixth, Ramirez hit a leadoff single followed by a mishandled double play groundball from Gonzalez to allow runners on first and second. A series of fielding mishaps from the Halos lead to a bases loaded situation allowing pinch runner Corey Seager to reach home with no outs. After Richards gave up another run, he was replaced by Kevin Jepsen with the Dodgers trailing 3-4. The Angels reliever was able to hold the Dodgers off to finish the inning.

Jamey Wright went in the game for Withrow in the seventh inning and dealt a hitless inning. For the Angels, Joe Smith relieved Jepsen at the bottom of the inning throwing a scoreless inning as well. The Dodgers next reliever was Chris Perez who also pitched a quick 1-2-3 inning. Fernando Salas then took the mound at the bottom of the eighth and gave up a solo home run to the youngster Joc Pederson who tied the game at four a piece.

Going into the ninth tied 4-4, Kenley Jansen was called upon to take the mound. Miguel Rojas logged the first out with a great grab down the left field line to get Collin Cowgill out at first. Jansen finished the top of the inning with back to back strikeouts. At the bottom of the ninth, Matt Shoemaker took the mound for the Halos. The right-hander gave up hits to Mike Baxter and Scott Van Slyke and eventually loaded the bases after a throwing error from Ian Stewart. Shoemaker was able to work himself out of a bases-loaded jam.

Heading into extra innings, Sam Demel replaced Jansen and gave up a walk to Hank Conger to begin the tenth. At one point finding himself with runners on second and third with only one out, Demel was able to work his way out of it and manage a scoreless inning. Shoemaker returned at the bottom of the tenth giving up a lead off single to Justin Turner. Trayvon Robinson was sent in to pinch run and eventually made it to third off of a single from Drew Butera. The Angels sent Jeremy Berg to replace Shoemaker with just one out on the board. Darnell Sweeney hit a walk-off sac-fly to send Robinson home to give the Dodgers the 5-4 edge.
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