The Los Angeles Dodgers were in position to win their second game of 2022 Spring Training, but late pitching struggles against the Colorado Rockies led to their third tie in Cactus League play.
Tony Gonsolin made a strong case for a starting rotation spot in his Spring Training debut, throwing three perfect innings while striking out two batters in both the first and second innings. Gonsolin then only needed five pitches to retire the Rockies in order in the third.
The Dodgers took an early lead in the bottom of the first inning when Trea Turner hit a leadoff double before Freddie Freeman singled to drive him in. For Freeman, it was his first RBI in a Dodgers uniform and something that is sure to happen more often.
L.A. added another run in the second inning when Edwin Rios drove in Hanser Alberto on a fly ball to shallow left field that fell between a triangle of Rockies players for a double.
We can get used to this. 😏👏 pic.twitter.com/xlOa55B1Zh
— SportsNet LA (@SportsNetLA) March 24, 2022
Light work at the park. pic.twitter.com/H8T69oAPio
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) March 24, 2022
In the third, AJ Pollock increased the lead for the Dodgers with a solo home run, his first hit of Spring Training, before the Rockies added a run of their own in the fourth inning.
After two outs to begin the sixth, Alberto was hit by a pitch, which was followed by a home run off the bat of Rios to extend the Dodgers’ lead to 5-1.
Eddy Alvarez then followed Rios with a homer of his own. It was Alvarez’s second homer run of Spring Training as he recently drew praise from Dodgers manager Dave Roberts.
The Rockies came back with two runs in the seventh and three runs in the ninth to tie the game.
Tyler Anderson impresses in Dodgers debut
Tyler Anderson was sharp in his Dodgers’ debut. The veteran southpaw threw three innings while allowing one run on three hits, with seven strikeouts and no walks.
After struggles from Andrew Heaney in his first outing, Gonsolin and Anderson should have the edge for the final two spots in the Dodgers rotation.
However, there is also the likely scenario that the Dodgers use some combination of Gonsolin, Heaney, Anderson, David Price and Mitch White in an opener strategy that sees each of them throw three to four innings per outing as they build up their workloads.
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