Dodgers cough up lead late to fall to D-backs 6-5 in exhibition game
The Dodgers fall to the Arizona Diamondbacks 6-5 on Saturday. They are 3-2 in Cactus League games.
AT THE PLATE: The Dodgers took advantage of a fielding error to score four runs in a third inning that was highlighted by Cody Bellinger’s two-run double to right-center field off Arizona left-hander Robby Scott. Bellinger also doubled to left in the first and singled to center in the fifth. “Mechanically, he’s in a better place than he was all of last year,” manager Dave Roberts said of Bellinger. Enrique Hernandez added a sacrifice fly in the third, and Chris Taylor capped the rally with a run-scoring single to center. Outfielder Kyle Garlick hit an RBI double off the center-field wall in the seventh. Yasmany Tomas keyed Arizona’s five-run seventh inning with a three-run double off Dodgers right-hander Joe Broussard.
ON THE MOUND: Brock Stewart gave up a solo homer to Domingo Leyba and walked a batter in the first inning but looked sharp in a one-two-three second. Reliever Yimi Garcia, limited to 25 games last season in his return from Tommy John surgery, struck out two of three in the fourth and has now struck out six of the nine batters he has faced in three spring games. “He’s on a mission—you see it every time he takes the ball,” Roberts said of Garcia. “The ball is coming out well. His command is really good, and he’s sequencing his pitches the right way.” Top pitching prospect Dustin May allowed two hits, struck out one and walked one in two scoreless innings.
EXTRA BASES: Closer Kenley Jansen will make his spring debut Sunday. He is scheduled to be followed by new setup man Joe Kelly, Josh Fields, J.T. Chargois and Tony Cingrani. … The Diamondbacks elected to start ace Zack Greinke in a B game instead of against the Dodgers Saturday. … Roberts said he has penciled infield prospect Edwin Rios, who has been out for about a week because of an illness, in the lineup for Sunday’s game.
UP NEXT: The Dodgers will play a Texas split-squad team at Camelback Ranch at noon PST on Sunday. Right-hander Kenta Maeda will start for the Dodgers against Rangers right-hander Lance Lynn. TV: SportsNet LA.
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