Brandon McCarthy moves ahead as Dodgers tie Reds, 3-3

The Dodgers spent $48 million to sign veteran Brandon McCarthy in the off-season, gambling he’ll be the pitcher who went 7-5 with a 2.89 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP in the second half with the Yankees, and not the one who started 3-10 with a 5.01 ERA and 1.38 WHIP with the Diamondbacks.

The answer to that won’t be known for months, so there’s no putting too fine a spotlight on his spring. Still, if you absolutely insist on something approaching an early read … ah, forget it, it’s not happening.

McCarthy made his second start of the spring Friday night and pitched pretty well. Not his second-half well, but certainly not first-half awful. He went three innings, giving up one run on three hits and a walk in the Dodgers’ 3-3 tie with the Reds at Camelback Ranch in Phoenix.

So now in two spring starts, and an entire five innings, he has a pretty meaningless 3.60 ERA. If you want significance, check back sometime in August. For now, all is OK.

Joel Peralta, meanwhile, made his first appearance of the spring. Peralta, acquired in the off-season to start the bullpen overhaul, had been held back with shoulder stiffness.

He went one inning, giving up a run in the fourth when Kyle Waldrop tripled and scored on a Donald Lutz infield single. He allowed two hits, did not walk a batter and struck out one.

Chris Hatcher -- a potential early-season closer replacement for the injured Kenley Jansen -- Juan Nicasio, Daniel Coulombe and Yimi Garcia each threw one scoreless inning. Carlos Frias gave up the third run in the sixth when Marlon Byrd doubled and scored on a sacrifice fly.

The Dodgers again failed to generate much offense, managing only five hits. They scored once in the fourth when Justin Turner doubled and scored on an Adrian Gonzalez single, and again in the sixth when Joc Pederson singled, stole second and came around on a pair of groundouts.

The Dodgers tied the score in the bottom of the ninth when Darnell Sweeney led off with double, took second on a groundout and scored on Corey Seager’s sacrifice fly to medium center.

It was the Dodgers’ fourth tie in 11 spring games.