Dodgers 13, White Sox 7: Kenta Maeda is solid for four innings before trouble strikes
ON THE MOUND: A pristine outing for Kenta Maeda was sullied, ever so slightly, in the fifth inning. He had held the White Sox to only two hits in the first four frames. But he gave up a double and a single before departing with one out in the next inning. One run scored, which brought Maeda’s Cactus League earned-run average to 3.75. “I’m pretty happy with where I am,” Maeda said. He will make one more longer outing, aiming for six innings, before a tuneup start to prepare him for pitching in the same game of the regular season.
AT THE PLATE: Making his first start in the field since March 6, Andre Ethier looked sharp at the plate. He hit a single in the first inning against Carson Fulmer. Two innings later, Ethier contributed a single that drove in Chase Utley, who scored on a single by Trayce Thompson in the first inning. Ethier was thrown out trying to stretch the play to second base. … Utley hit a run-scoring double in the fifth. … Back from representing Italy in the World Baseball Classic, first baseman Rob Segedin hit a home run in the second inning and a two-run double in the fifth. Segedin is unlikely to make the club, given his minor league options, but he could aid the team later in the season against left-handed pitching and as a backup for Adrian Gonzalez.
EXTRA BASES: Rich Hill will start in a minor league game Sunday, with pitching prospect Trevor Oaks slated to face Team Japan in an exhibition. Hill was frustrated with his lack of command in his last outing, and the Dodgers want him to perform in a controlled environment. … Brandon McCarthy will start Monday and Hyun-Jin Ryu will start Tuesday. The team had not determined whether Julio Urias would appear in either game or in a minor league game. Bench coach Bob Geren cautioned that “everything is still on schedule with Urias,” who is expected to throw two or three innings in his next appearance.
UP NEXT: Team Japan, 1 p.m. Sunday at Camelback Ranch.
Twitter: @McCulloughTimes
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