Kent, Izturis Differ on Vizquel’s Play

Dodger second baseman Jeff Kent wasn’t impressed by the acrobatic double play turned by San Francisco Giant shortstop Omar Vizquel in the ninth inning of Tuesday’s opener. Kent was sliding into second base and Vizquel did the splits over his head as he threw to first base.

“I don’t think it was that great,” Kent said. “There are dozens of guys who can make that play. Some choose to make it look harder than it is.

“Omar is a guy who can do both. He can make a play look harder than it is and he can make a tough play look easier than it is.”

Dodger shortstop Cesar Izturis had a greater appreciation of the play. He has watched Vizquel on television since he was a child and a few years ago asked his Venezuelan countryman to send him an instructional video.

Izturis, 25, is nearly 13 years younger than Vizquel and wonders whether he still will be playing at a high level in 2018.

“That would be phenomenal,” he said.

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The Dodger bullpen has taken another hit. Right-hander Giovanni Carrara strained his left hamstring when he slipped while fielding a bunt in the eighth inning Tuesday and will not pitch at least until Friday at Arizona.

Closer Eric Gagne (sprained elbow) and versatile left-hander Wilson Alvarez (shoulder tendinitis) are on the disabled list. Alvarez threw 25 pitches in the bullpen at Vero Beach, Fla., the first time he has thrown off a mound in nearly three weeks.

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Olmedo Saenz started at first base in place of Hee-Seop Choi because Saenz was six for 16 with a home run against starter Kirk Rueter.

“You have a matchup you want to take advantage of,” Manager Jim Tracy said.

Saenz hit a bloop single and scored the first Dodger run in the second inning and walked in the fourth against Rueter.

Against relief pitchers, he singled and scored in the sixth, when the Dodgers blew the game open with five runs, and doubled in the seventh.

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Left fielder Jason Repko sat slumped in a chair, yawning and glancing at a television screen in the clubhouse. No way anybody would have guessed he was three hours away from his major league debut.

“I’ll treat it the same as any other game,” he said. “I am excited though. My parents are in town and I’ve got friends here.”

Repko doubled in the sixth inning but lost a run batted in when Izturis was called out on an appeal for missing third base, and singled in the eighth.