Dodgers – Mariners Live Game Thread

Gorgeous day at Camel Back Ranch. Temperatures to get into the 80’s. Don’t forget Lasorda’s Lair followers, I will be blogging live from Dodgers Spring Training next Mon – Fri. But let’s get to today’s action.

Game Notes:

James Loney boots an easy 1 hopper by Ichiro, Chone Figgins singles him to 3rd and Ichiro scores on a Rod Barajas passed ball. Garland KO’s 2 to get out of the inning. Gabe Kapler, a late non-injury replacement for Andre Ethier, singles with 2 outs. Matt Kemp falls behind in his at bat and encouragingly lays off of breaking balls in the dirt, pitches he would have swung at last year, only to get rung up on a very questionable strike 3 call. Good sign that Kemp isn’t swinging at every pitch regardless of location. 1-0 Mariners after 1.

Jon Garland retires the first 2 batters in the 2nd only to leave the game with an injury after throwing a pitch and reaching painfully at his left side. Ramon Troncoso replaces him and gets the final out on great running catch by Jay Gibbons. However, the Dodgers staff has to be concerned about Garland’s injury, definitely not what they needed. They may be looking at Tim Redding as the 5th starter when they break camp depening on the severity of the injury. Loney, Uribe, Gibbons fail to hit the ball out of the infield. 1-0 Mariners after 2.

Ichiro leads off the 3rd with a single up the middle off of Troncoso’s glove. Figgins singles to right Ichiro to 3rd. Barajas throws out Figgins trying to steal, Dodgers bring infield in with 1 out in the 2nd and Franklin Gutierrez grounds out to Furcal. Troncoso strikes out Jack Cust to pitch his way out of runners at 1st and 3rd with no one out.

Rod Barajas leads off the bottom of the 3rd with a solo homer to left over the bullpen. Dodgers tie game at 1 could it be Barjas wasn’t a fluke last year in his short stint with the Dodgers? Tony Gwynn looks bad striking out on 3 pitches, the last pitch a breaking ball in the dirt. Furcal grounds out to 1st. Casey Blake flies out to shallow right. 1-1 through 4 innings.

Hong-Chih Kuo takes the mound in the 4th and gets Adam Kennedy to pop out on his first pitch. 2 pitches later Jack Wilson, who did not hit a single home run all of last season, takes Kuo deep to left center field. 2-1 Mariners. Kuo strikes out Michael Saunders with a nasty slider then gets Josh Bard to ground out. Kapler KO’s, Kemp lines out to CF and Loney pops out to the catcher. 2-1 Mariners after 4.

Lefty Wilkin De La Rosa enters the game for the Dodgers to pitch the 5th. Casey Blake makes a nice play on a ball hit by Ichiro off of the leg of De La Rosa, Jerry Sands nearly does the splits and they barely nab Ichiro who is flying down the line. De La Rosa KO’s Figgins. Impressive inning by De La Rosa  making a case to be the lefty out of the pen on the final 25 man roster.

Juan Uribe reaches on a tough hop to Jack Wilson who is charged with a questionable error. Jay Gibbons pops up to the catcher but the Mariners misplay the ball and get a force out at 2nd. Barajas bangs a single up the middle. Gwynn and Furcal ground out, inning over.

Second inning of work not as good for De La Rosa. He gives up a leadoff double to former Dodger farmhand Franklin Gutierrez followed by a long home run by Jack Cust. De La Rosa battles back to strike out 2 of the next 3 hitters to get out of the inning. Dodgers continue to have big questions regarding who will be the 2nd lefty in the bullpen. Jamey Carroll and Xavier Paul strike out, Matt Kemp grounds out and just like that the 6th inning is over.

Joh Huber enters the game in the 7th and things get ugly. He walks the first 2 batters he faces, gives up a single then a Grand Slam to Alex Liddi, Huber gives up 2 more hits then is mercifully replaced by Francisco Felix who pitches 1 and 2/3rds scoreless innings. Unfortunately the Mariners score 5 and lead 9 to 1.

Jerry Sands hammers the 1st pitch he sees from Mariners reliever Brandon League, who will more than likely be the Mariners closer to begin the season, up the middle for a single and moves to 2nd on a wild pitch. After a Velez strike out Marcus Thames knocks in Sands with a single to left, Sands shows good speed to score on a close play at the plate. 9-2 Mariners after 7.

Felix has a 1, 2, 3 top of the 8th. Trayvon Robinson strikes out to lead off the bottom of the 8th. Dee Gordon then slaps a double to left, off of left handed reliever Garrett Olson. After a Carroll walk and a pop out by Xavier Paul, Trent Oeltjen knocks in Dee with a pinch hit single. The Dodgers score their final run after Sands again shows good speed by beating the throw to first after Mariners second baseman Luis Rodriguez bobbles a hard hit ball.  9 to 4 Mariners after 8.

Josh Lindblom looks very solid pitching the 9th inning, getting 2 strikeouts on a nasty slider and a great looking change-up. Lindblom looks to have regained his confidence after finally being moved to his natural role of reliever. The Dodgers do little of note in the bottom of the 9th and the Mariners win 9 to 4.

Observations:

Jay Gibbons continues to look lost at the plate not hitting the ball out of the infield today and for some reason continues to wear gaudy white sunglasses . Marcus Thames showed off his defensive liabilities misplaying a fairly routine fly ball in left field. Jon Garland had an MRI today on his injured left oblique if Garland begins the season on the DL it will be his first trip to the DL since 2008.

Nice article on top Dodger prospect Dee Gordon by Tony Jackson at ESPN.com

Dodgers square off against the Padres tomorrow.