Editorials

Spring Training Recap: Pitching, Offense Strong In Victory

Jon SooHoo-Los Angeles Dodgers
Jon SooHoo-Los Angeles Dodgers

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With the temperature in the high-90s, the Los Angeles Dodgers faced the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim at Tempe Diablo Stadium in Tempe, Arizona. David Huff made his fifth appearance and third start of the spring.



Matt Shoemaker made his fourth start for the Angels. After a Justin Turner flyout, Alex Guerrero hit a ball deep, to the 420-foot sign in center field, and Mike Trout made an outstanding leaping catch against the wall. Ethier then grounded out to first baseman Albert Pujols to end the top of the first.

Kole Calhoun flew out to left field start the bottom of the first which was followed by a groundout by Trout. After Huff issued a walk to Pujols, C.J. Cron grounded into a fielders’ choice to Guerrero at third, who threw Pujols out at second base.

The Dodgers first baserunner came by way of a walk to Scott Van Slyke. The very next batter, Joc Pederson, followed the walk with his fifth home run of the spring, a no-doubter to center field, which gave the Dodgers a 2-0 lead. The inning ended after a popout and a strike out.

The first batter of the bottom of the second inning, Eric Aybar, hit a home run on a full count to reduce the Dodgers lead to 2-1. Left fielder Matt Joyce followed the home run with a double to right field. After a popout to Van Slyke, Kyle Kubitza drove a ball to left field, but it was tracked down by Chris Heisey and Joyce tagged up and advanced to third. However, the threat was diminished after Taylor Featherston grounded out to the shortstop, Turner.

Darwin Barney’s first at-bat of the day resulted in a fly out to right field for the first out of the top of the third.After a groundout, Guerrero unloaded on a low fastball for his third home run of the spring to make it 3-1.

After two flyouts to Pederson in center, Pujols drilled a line drive to left despite the infield shift put on by the Dodgers. A line drive by Cron sent Kiké Hernandez crashing into the wall, but he recovered in time to stop Pujols at third. Aybar then flew out to Hernandez to end the inning.

Yasmani Grandal began the top of the fourth with a drive into the right-center field gap, but Calhoun tracked it down, making a nice running catch. After a single by Van Slyke, Pederson grounded to second base, which looked to be a double play, but the center fielder hustled down the line and beat the throw for the fielders’ choice. With Pederson running on the next pitch, the Angels threw a pitch out and cut down the would-be base stealer for the third out.

The Angels started the bottom of the fourth inning with two straight singles. After a sacrifice bunt, the Angels had runners on second and third with one out. Huff was then taken out of the game and replaced by Pedro Baez and promptly struck out Featherston on three pitches. On the very next pitch, Calhoun flew out to Pederson to end the inning an the threat.

Shoemaker ended the inning quickly, three up and three down.

CONTINUE READING: See if the Dodgers were able to hold their lead.

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Staff Writer

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