Editorials

Dodgers – Royal Spring Training Game Thread

Our Dodgers get started shortly against the World Champion Kansas City Royals and we’re here to offer all the updates as they come.

Alex Wood will make his second start of the spring after having missed his last one with forearm tightness. Also slated to pitch today is Kenley Jansen and J.P. Howell, who looked a little better in their last innings thrown.



The Royals have a split squad, so get ready to google some of those names you’ll hear!


ICYMI: Austin Barnes Making a Case To Be On The 25-Man Roster


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FIRST INNING

Raul Mondesi, Jr. with an infield single after using his dazzling speed to get down the line. Dodgers then retire him on a 4-6-3 double play. After a single, Alex Wood gets the inning-ending strikeout.

After two flyouts to start the inning, Joc Pederson hits a two-strike, two-out double. Great approach. Scott Van Slyke then bloop singles Pederson in for the first run of the game! Alex Guerrero then goes down looking to end the inning, but the good guys have a lead!

SECOND INNING: DODGERS LEAD 1-0

Drew Butera ropes a one-out double to center, and he missed out on a home run by maybe a foot. That was close. A two-out single to right scores the tying run, and we’re knotted at 1-1 already. Carl Crawford makes a great catch in left field to end the inning, but we’re tied up now.

Dodgers go down in order in the bottom half.

THIRD INNING: TIED AT 1-1

A one-out walk to Alex Gordon starts the inning for Kansas City. Next batter then pops out for the second out. Gordon then stole second base, but nothing happens as the third out is recorded on a flyout to center.

For the second straight inning, the Dodgers go down in order.

FOURTH INNING: TIED AT 1-1

Kenley Jansen in now to pitch. Jansen then sets the side down in order by striking all three batters out. Dominant.

One-out double by Scott Van Slyke gets Los Angeles in business. A groundout moves him up to third with two outs as Austin Barnes comes up. Unfortunately, Barnes goes down swinging to end the inning. To the fifth!

FIFTH INNING: TIED AT 1-1

Chris Hatcher takes over for Jansen now. Hatcher gives up a one-out walk and a stolen base before striking out a better for the second out. Dave Roberts then brings in J.P. Howell to face Alex Gordon. However, Gordon grounds a single to center field to give the Royals a 2-1 lead. Kendrys Morales then hits a 2-run home to give the Royals a 4-1 lead. Yikes. And then a ground rule double happens. Not a fun inning. Then an infield single ends up scoring the run from second. 5-1 now. Finally, a strikeout ends the inning but not before the Royals break the tie with four runs.

Dodgers answer by swiftly going down in order. Nothing doing.

SIXTH INNING: DODGERS TRAIL 5-1

The Royals get a one-out double to start things here.  However, nothing doing after that as the next two batters were then retired. To the bottom half we go!

Dodgers go down in order. Again. Sigh.

SEVENTH INNING: DODGERS TRAIL 5-1

Ross Stripling in to pitch now, and he sets the side down in order. TIME TO STRETCH!

As has been the case in this game, the Dodgers go down in order. Le sigh. To the eighth!

EIGHTH INNING: DODGERS TRAIL 5-1

Another 1-2-3 inning for Stripling. Good stuff!

After the leadoff batter gets on, a force out wipes him away. And then a one-out walk puts two runners on. Something brewing? Hit batter! Bases loaded with one out now! Wild pitch, but the throw home beats the runner for the second out. Sad face. Charlie Culberson strikes out to end the inning, and that’s that.

NINTH INNING: DODGERS TRAIL 5-1

Pedro Baez on to pitch here in the final inning, and he retires the first two batters before giving up two straight singles. He does get a third out without giving up a run, though. We head to the bottom of the ninth, down by four.

After the first two batters ground out, a two-out walk occurs and this seems like the last chance for romance here. But then another two-out walk occurs. Okay, okay, okay. Still some hope! And nope. It’s gone. Game ends on a flyout to left. Dodgers fall, but it’s okay. There’s always tomorrow!

FINAL SCORE: ROYALS 5, DODGERS 1

Staff Writer

Staff Writer features content written by our site editors along with our staff of contributing writers. Thank you for your readership.

8 Comments

  1. Howell hasn’t been right in a long time. He’ll be lucky to make the team. Tough decisions ahead for front office in the bull-pen and outfield too

  2. Scott Van Slyke reminds me a lot of Jayson Werth. Give him regular playing time and he could be really good.

  3. Dodgers not loosing too many games this Spring.  We shall see if that trend continues.

  4. Tntfan13 Howell will certainly be on the team. He was way too valuable to the Dodgers last year to send him down to the minors.

  5. ChrisWolfDC Only if he hits lefties like he did in 2014. But after last year, I’m a little skeptical.

  6. Tntfan13 He will definitely make the team, as the Dodgers are paying him to much to play in the minors. But yeah, he has real trouble at times finding the strike zone. I think Avlian may be the primary lefties out of the pen this year.

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