Editorials

Spring Training Recap: Zack Greinke, Offense Struggle In Loss

Vincent Samperio-Dodgers Nation
Vincent Samperio-Dodgers Nation

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As Opening Day approaches, the Los Angeles Dodgers are making their final tuneups before they head back home. On Friday night, they faced their National League West rivals, the San Francisco Giants. Zack Greinke was on the mound looking to continue his solid spring.



The first inning was a quick one. Greinke got off to a good start, a 10-pitch perfect inning and the side was retired. Offensively, the Dodgers also had a quick start. Jimmy Rollins reached base on an error, and advanced to third on a base hit by Yasiel Puig. Both runners scored on a double from Adrian Gonzalez. A Howie Kendrick ground out advanced Gonzalez to third, and Carl Crawford drove him in with a single to center. The Dodgers had jumped to a 3-0 lead. Juan Uribe grounded into an inning-ending double play, but the damage had been done.

In the second frame, Greinke got two outs before issuing a walk on a full count to Andrew Susac. Gregor Blanco singled to center field. Then, on what looked like a routine fly out to left, Crawford dropped the ball, and two runs scored on the error. Pitcher Chirs Heston grounded out to Rollins for the third out. Greinke had 29 pitches in the inning, and the lead had been reduced to a run, 3-2.

Pederson hit a high chopper on the first pitch for the first out. AJ Ellis grounded out, and Greinke hit a pop up to Brandon Belt. After two, the Dodgers led 3-2.

In the third, Nori Aoki reached first on a chopper that Rollins couldn’t reach. The runner was erased when the Dodgers turned a very solid double play. Brandon Belt gave Greinke a tough at-bat, but eventually struck out. The bottom of the third saw the Dodgers go down in order, with Puig was robbed of a hit by Joe Panik.

Greinke got into trouble in the fourth when Blanco tripled to right with two outs, scoring Travis Ishikawa to tie the game at three. He then issued a walk to Adrianza. Opposing pitcher Chris Heston hit a double to left-center field, and Blanco scored to make it 4-3. Greinke’s night was done, and Paco Rodriguez entered the game in relief. Aoki took Rodriguez to a full count, but went down swinging for the third out.

Kendrick was hit by a pitch to start the bottom half, but the offense was unable to do anything else.

The Dodgers defense looked sharp behind Rodriguez in the fifth with nice plays from Crawford, Rollins, and Uribe for a 1-2-3 inning. In the bottom of the inning, Scott Van Slyke hit a one-out double, but was out at third on an attempted steal. Rollins flied out to center and the frame was over.

CONTINUE READING: Would the Dodgers be able to come back and win?

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