Spring Training Recap: Puig Hits Home Run; Dodgers, Giants End In Tie
Brett Anderson made his Spring Training debut for the Los Angeles Dodgers Monday against none other than the 2014 World Series Champion San Francisco Giants. Whereas Anderson was making his first start of the Dodgers-Giants rivalry, the Giants sent a seasoned veteran of the rivalry to the mound in Matt Cain.
The first inning went similarly for both pitchers, as they each breezed through the first three batters they faced. Cain returned to the hill in the second inning and made quick work of Dodger batters, retiring Adrian Gonzalez, Howie Kendrick and Yasmani Grandal in order.
Anderson seemingly matched Cain in his second inning of work, only allowing a single to Matt Duffy, who was then caught stealing by Grandal. Ryan Vogelsong took over for the Giants in the third and he sat the Dodgers down in order to keep the game scoreless.
Erik Bedard entered the game for Anderson in the bottom of the third and promptly walked Brandon Hicks on four pitches. Hicks advanced to second base on a wild pitch, then took third on a ground to first base.
Angel Pagan flied out to left field and Hicks attempted to tag, but was thrown out by a perfect strike from Andre Ethier to end the inning. Jimmy Rollins led off the fourth with a triple on a ball that Giants right fielder Jarrett Parker came up empty on a diving attempt.
Then, with one out, Yasiel Puig sent a 3-2 pitch over the left field fence to give the Dodgers a 2-0 lead. Bedard preserved the lead in the bottom of the fourth inning by retiring the Giants in order, with the final two outs coming on strikeouts of Buster Posey and Brandon Belt.
Brandon League entered in the bottom of the fifth and the game quickly turned on the Dodgers. With a runner on first base and no outs, Duffy grounded into a force out, but advanced to second base on Howie Kendrick’s errant throw to first base that thwarted a potential double play.
League then hit Gregor Blanco with a pitch and gave up an RBI single to Hicks that cut the Dodgers’ lead to 2-1. Parker followed with an RBI base hit of his own to tie the game and League walked Pagan to load the bases before being removed from the game.
Carlos Frias inherited a bases-loaded jam and immediately gave up a run on a wild pitch. The Giants tacked on two more runs on a pair of RBI singles and carried a 5-2 lead into the sixth inning.
CONTINUE READING: Dodgers Rally To Force Tie
