The Los Angeles Dodgers’ latest round of cuts seemingly set their 25-man roster for Opening Day, barring any injuries or unexpected development. Kiké Hernandez appears to have earned a spot off the bench, and the utility man started at shortstop in the exhibition Freeway Series opener.
Hernandez was back in the lineup after being hit by a pitch on his right wrist. He was sent for x-rays following Monday’s contest, which came back negative. Thursday’s game against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim was a final tuneup for Kenta Maeda.
In his second time facing the Dodgers’ crosstown rival this spring, Maeda turned in another strong start. He recorded four strikeouts over three perfect innings. Including a March 13 start against the Angels, Maeda held the Angels to one run on one hit (home run) and finished with 11 strikeouts in 6.2 innings this spring.
Adrian Gonzalez and Joc Pederson both singled in the second, but the inning came to an end when Chase Utley grounded into a double play. That was a bit of an anomaly for Utley, who did not bounce into a double play during the 2016 regular season.
Angels reliever Kirby Yates replaced Yusmeiro Petit, who went two scoreless innings. Yates was let down by his defense as Yunel Escobar’s throwing error put Hernandez on second base with one out. A flyout allowed Hernandez to advance to third base, and he scored on Andrew Toles’ bloop double.
Blake Parker replaced Yates in the fourth and mowed his way through the inning, striking out the side, which consisted of Gonzalez, Yasmani Grandal and Pederson. It was more of the same from Mike Morin, who struck out two of three batters faced in a scoreless fifth inning.
Ross Stripling walked Albert Pujols to start the bottom of the fifth, but completed a second scoreless inning in relief on a double play and lineout. Turner’s two-out single in the sixth inning was the Dodgers’ first hit since Toles’ double in the third.
It didn’t amount to anything, however, as Gonzalez rolled over weakly to first base. Luis Avilan did his part to hold the Angels without a hit by retiring the side in order in the bottom of the sixth. But Brandon Morrow lost the Dodgers’ combined no-hitter and lead the following inning.
Escobar led off with a base hit, Mike Trout later lined a double off the right field wall, and Albert Pujols walked to load the bases with one out. C.J. Cron pulled a two-run single into left field, giving the Angels a 2-1 lead.
Cameron Maybin tacked on an RBI single of his own but slowed the Angels momentum by running into an out. Morrow was replaced by Steve Geltz after walking Danny Espinosa. The Angels ran themselves out of the inning on a failed double steal attempt.
Austin Barnes hit a solo home run with one out in the ninth, Franklin Gutierrez was hit by a pitch and D.J. Peters doubled, but Van Slyke grounded out and the Dodgers fell short in the series opener, 3-2.
