Editorials

Dodgers – Cubs Spring Training Live Game Thread

Brandon Beachy is on the mound, the Cubs are the opponent, and the Dodgers are trying to get a win after yesterday’s loss.

It’s time for Dodgers baseball!




ICYMI: Dodgers Lineup: Beachy On The Mound vs Cubs


First Inning

Cubs lead off the game with a double into the left-center field gap courtesy of Ben Zobrist.  First out is recorded on a popup off the bat of Addison Russell. Joc Pederson then runs down a Kris Bryant fly ball just shy of the track in center field, and the runner moves up to third. After a walk to Miguel Montero, Beachy gets out of it by getting a force out for the third out. No damage done.

Dodgers go down in order in the bottom of the inning with Crawford, Pederson, and Puig all grounding out. Nothing doing in the first for either side.

Second Inning: Tied 0-0

Baez grounds out to Culberson at shortstop. Contreras with a one-out ground rule double down the right field line, and he advances to third on a fly out to right. Puig unleashed a laser that was pretty darn impressive, but Contreras made it in safely. Perez then tries a bunt with two outs but gets thrown out at first. Runner stranded on third again. Nothing doing for Chicago.

After an Adrian Gonzalez fly out, Chase Utley (yes, him) hit a triple to left-center field. Austin Barnes then walked to give the team runners on the corners with one down. Wild pitch scores Utley! And on the play, Barnes goes first to third! 1-0 Dodgers! Bellinger then goes down looking for the second out. Another wild pitch! That scores Barnes! 2-0 Dodgers! Culberson then grounds out to end the inning, but Los Angeles scores two!

Third Inning: Dodgers Lead 2-0

Beachy retires Zobrist on a fly ball to left field to start the frame. Beachy then gets a strikeout of Russell. Bryant is then retired on a fly ball. Three quality innings by Brandon Beachy, one strikeout, no runs allowed. Escaped trouble twice. Job well done.

Leadoff single for Micah Johnson, but he gets wiped out on a steal attempt. Crawford then grounded out to Bryant at third, and Pederson strikes out to end the inning. They still lead. Joe Blanton will be coming on for a little relief work.

Fourth Inning: Dodgers Lead 2-0

Grounder is the first out of the inning. Blanton then gives up a one-out walk to Soler on a 3-2 pitch. Blanton then gets Baez to go down swinging on a 2-2 pitch for the second out. A two-out single then puts runners on first and second. Almora then grounds into a force out to end the frame. No runs score.

Adam Warren in for the Cubs, and this half-inning begins with Puig lining out to shortstop. Gonzalez then flies out to right field for the second out, and then Utley singles into left-center field for his second hit of the night. Not a bad night for him. And then as soon as that’s said, Utley gets picked off of first base to end the inning.

Fifth Inning: Dodgers Lead 2-0

Joe Blanton starts the fifth by getting Juan Carlos Perez looking for strike three. He then walks Zobrist to give the Cubs a one-out baserunner. Blanton then gets his second strikeout of the inning by fanning Russell. And then Bryant flies out to right to end the inning. No runs allowed again. Quality stuff from Blanton.

AUSTIN BARNES JUST JACKED A HOME RUN! 3-0 DODGERS! Los Angeles then goes down in order after that on a groundout, strikeout, and a groundout. Either way, the team tacks on a run to their lead.

Sixth Inning: Dodgers Lead 3-0

Chris Hatcher now in to pitch for Los Angeles, and he generates a first pitch popout. Soler then lines a 1-1 pitch right at the shortstop for the second out. Puig then settles under a fly ball in right off the bat of Baez to end the half-inning. A 1-2-3 sixth for Hatcher.

Crawford goes down looking on a 2-2 pitch to start the frame. Almora then runs down Pederson’s fly ball into the left-center field gap for the second out. Puig then grounds out to shortstop to end the sixth inning. 1-2-3 sixth for Warren. Onto the seventh!

Seventh Inning: Dodgers Lead 3-0

Luis Avilan comes in for the Dodgers and he’ll be working this inning on the mound. He’s promptly greeted by giving up a double to right field. First out is a grounder that moves the runner to third, but one out now. A one-out single by Perez brings home Chicago’s first run. Shutout is gone. Wild pitch the moves the runner to second. A flyout to Corey Brown in right is the second out, but the runner moves up to third on it. A popup to Alex Verdugo in center field ends the inning, but the Cubs get a run. TIME TO STRETCH!

Dodgers go down in order in the bottom half as Gonzalez strikes out, Utley grounds out, and Barnes strikes out. Great work out of Stephen Fife. Six outs to go for a win!

Eighth Inning: Dodgers Lead 3-1

The elderly Jamey Wright is in to pitch the eighth inning for Los Angeles. Fifth pitcher for the team tonight. Leadoff single goes right beyond the diving Jordan Tarsovich at second base, and then a hit-and-run single puts runners on the corners with nobody out. Wright then walks Soler to load the bases with nobody out. NAIL-CHEWING TIME! Wright then gets a strikeout for the first out of the inning. Unfortunately, Wright then walks in a run. Los Angeles now leads just 3-2. Sac fly ties the game up, but there’s two outs in the inning now. Runner tagged up to third, as well. A grounder to short ends the half-inning, but the Cubs do tie it up for now.

Bellinger begins the bottom half with a popup to second. Culberson smashes a ball to third, but a poor throw and dig at first lets him get to second on the error. Brandon Hicks singles to left field, Culberson comes in to score after the catcher drops the ball! DODGERS LEAD 4-3! A grounder moves the runner to third and there’s two outs now. Corey Brown then walks to put runners on the corners with two outs. Verdugo then flies out to left-center to end the frame, but Los Angeles has a lead with three outs to go!

Ninth Inning: Dodgers Lead 4-3

Dustin Richardson is in to try to close out this game for the Dodgers. Pitched 26 innings in the minors last year. He records the first out on a fly ball to left field. Two outs to go! And then a strikeout. One out to go! But a two-out single puts the Cubs in business here in the top of the ninth. And then sadness as Jesus Guzman hits a two-out, 2-run home run to give the Cubs a 5-4 lead. A grounder ends the top half, but now we have to play the bottom half. The Dodgers no longer have the lead. Le sigh.

Edgar Olmos, not to be confused with actor Edward James Olmos, is in the game to close this game out for the Cubs. Leadoff walk for Willie Calhoun. Single to right puts runners on first and second with no one gone, and a bunt moves both runners over! Two runners in scoring position with one out. Bellinger walks to load the bases with one out! Deep breaths! Joe Maddon comes out to make a pitching change. Frank Batista in to pitch now. Charlie Culberson is up, and he’s worked a 3-2 count. NAIL-CHEWING TIME! CULBERSON WALKS! TIE GAME! #Culberson2016! And now a 3-2 count to Brandon Hicks. This game. BRANDON HICKS GETS HIT BY A PITCH! DODGERS WIN 6-5! WALKOFF!!!!!!

FINAL SCORE: DODGERS 6, CUBS 5

Staff Writer

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