Dodgers Host Cincy In Final Home Day Game Of Spring

The Dodgers return to Camelback Ranch this afternoon for the very last day game at Glendale. After today’s game, the Dodgers only have two more home games at Camelback Ranch. Oddly enough they are both at night. We are only ten days away from opening day! I can’t wait to get back to normal regular season schedule. These afternoon games every day grow tiresome.

I;m not going to talk about the shortstop situation or Hanley’s thumb today, because it’s just going to piss me off. Seriously though, they need to stop holding the WBC during the middle of spring training. It’s so retarded. You know what really makes my blood boil? We were soooooo close to having the entire lineup intact for opening day for once. When was the last time that happened!? Pray nobody else gets hurt. let’s talk about something positive for now.

Kershaw looks like he is in mid-season form.-Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

In other news, Zack Greinke, and Chad Billingsley both have been cleared by the Dodger medical staff. Greinke if you remember, threw about 43 pitches in a simulated game. Greinke should be healthy and ready to go for opening week. I am hearing talk of an April 5th debut, but we’ll see. Bills is nursing a sore finger he bruised during bunt attempt drills. Both pitchers are fine and shouldn’t miss anymore time on the mound. So good news on that front!

The Dodgers played in their annual Christina Taylor-Green Memorial foundation game against the Cubs at Tucson yesterday afternoon. The Dodgers were able to hold off a late Chicago comeback to win by a score of 5-4. Stephen Fife made the start for the Dodgers and picked up the win. He impressed everyone by working 6 innings and allowing two earned runs on seven hits, while whiffing three and walking none. Fife recorded nine ground-outs, which is par for the course with him. Remember what I said before about Fife? I don’t care how you get guys out, as long as you do! Fife was getting those ground-outs. The Fifer was followed by Blake Johnson, and Scott White. White tried his best to give away the game, but was able to wiggle out of danger in the ninth frame.

The offensive star of the game for the Dodgers was Alex Castellanos who belted his fourth home run of the spring, a three-run shot which gave the Dodgers the lead for good. The Cubs had taken the lead first on a Brent Liilibridge RBI single which scored Jhair’s brother Scott Hairston, and a solo home run from Starlin Castro. The Dodgers scored their first run on a Mark Ellis RBI single in the bottom of the third, and then in the bottom of the fourth, Castellanos slugged his three-run shot, which put the Dodgers ahead 4-2.  Scott Feldman singled home Lillibridge in the fifth to cut the Dodger lead to 4-3. The Dodgers would add an insurance run the following frame on a C.J. Retherford run scoring single. The Dodgers scored five runs on eight hits, with three extra base hits including a Matt Kemp triple. The Dodgers are now 10-14-3 this spring, in Cactus League play.

Dodgers Lineup vs. Reds

Mike Leake vs. Clayton Kershaw

Only four regulars in the lineup? Ok Don, whatever. It’s not like it’s ten days until opening day or anything. What do we need the regulars to pay every day for? We will have a Puig alert this afternoon, as the big slugger makes the start in center field, with Hairston and Herrera in the corners. Dee Gordon gets the start at shortstop. We better get used to that.

Clayton Kershaw will get the start for the Dodgers this afternoon, and the Reds will counter with Mike Leake. Don’t forget this is the Dodger’s last home afternoon game of the spring, so don’t miss out. You can catch the game at 1:05 PM Pacific time. Go Blue!