Dodgers Hand Halos Their Seventh Straight Spring Loss

The Dodgers toppled the Angels 10-8 this afternoon, handing the Angels their seventh straight loss in cactus league play. Clayton Kershaw made his second start of the spring pitching three frames and whiffing seven batters, while allowing three runs and six hits, and no walks, to pick up the win. His opposing starter, Jerome Williams allowed five runs in two innings, in a losing cause.

Elian Herrera, Luis Cruz, Mark Ellis, and Alfredo Amezaga all drove in two runs apiece. Amezaga, Nick Punto, and Mark Ellis all had two hits each, to lead the way for the Dodger offense. The game also featured the spring training debut of left hander Ted Lilly, who pitched two frames, allowing one run, one hit, and one walk, while whiffing one. The Dodgers also used Josh Wall, Steven Ames, Peter Moylan, and rookie Andres Santiago. The Dodgers had to stave off a last minute rally by the Angels in the top of the ninth, but would hang on to win, and pick up their third win of the spring.

Clayton Kershaw picked up his first win of the spring-Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports

The Dodgers scored ten runs on twelve hits, with four of those going for extra bases. Luis Cruz started the scoring with a two run home run in the bottom of the first inning, his second of the spring to give the Dodgers an early 2-0 lead. The Dodgers scored three more runs in the bottom of the second. Utility guy, Alfredo Amezaga drove in two with a two run single, and a Mark Ellis bloop RBI single plated the third run of the frame, to give the Blue a 5-1 lead.

The Angels cut the lead to 5-3 by adding two runs in the top of the third inning. With Kershaw still on the mound, Howie Kendrick drove in a run with an RBI double, and Vernon Wells plated another run with an RBI single for the Halos.

The Dodgers scored a run in the fourth, and three more in the bottom of the fifth. A line drive RBI single from Mark Ellis, an RBI double from Dallas Mcpherson, and a run scoring single from Elian Herrera accounted for the Dodger runs in those innings. That made the score 9-4 Dodgers. After Nick Evans drove in the Dodger’s tenth run of the game in the bottom of the seventh, the Dodgers were leading by a score of 10-4.

The Angels were able to score two runs in the top of the eighth off of Steven Ames. Travis Witherspoon’s RBI single, and a Kole Calhoun sacrifice fly made the score 10-6. Rookie Andres Santiago made things interesting in the top of the ninth for the Dodgers. Randal Grichuk led off the frame by tripling over Herrera’s head. After Santiago hit a batter, an Efran Navarro ground-out made the score 10-7. Tommy Fields followed with a grounder of his own which plated the second run, which cut the Dodger lead to 10-8. Santiago would settle down, with some help from the Dodger infield, and the Dodgers would hold on to win 10-8. The game also featured an exclusive interview of Sandy Koufax by Vin Scully. You can check out the full interview below.

The Dodgers now improve to 3-1-2 in Cactus League play, while the Angels have now lost all seven games they have played so far this spring. Tomorrow the Dodgers will play two split squad games, one at home, and the other on the road. The home game will be against the Padres, and the road game against the Angles at Tempe Stadium. Hyun-jin Ryu will make his second start of the spring in the home game, while Zack Greinke will start the road game. Both games start at 1:05 P.M. pacific time, and only the road game will be on radio.