The Los Angeles Dodgers continued their strong showing in Spring Training with a 12-1 Cactus League thrashing of the Arizona Diamondbacks.
The matchup at Camelback Ranch was the first game between the Diamondbacks and Dodgers since the 2023 National League Division Series.
Freddie Freeman spotted Gavin Stone with an early lead behind a two-run home run in the bottom of the first inning. Freeman later added an RBI triple and finished the day xx-for-xx.
Chris Taylor broke the game open in the first inning with a grand slam.
Here's how Gavin Stone finished off each of his three strikeouts in the first inning.
(🎥: @PitchingNinja) pic.twitter.com/WpdtayCc0k— Dodger Blue (@DodgerBlue1958) March 10, 2024
Freddie Freeman loves to go the other way, but he can pull the ball with some pop too.
(🎥: @MLB) pic.twitter.com/8BZNl2DsoV— Dodger Blue (@DodgerBlue1958) March 10, 2024
Chris Taylor's grand slam has the #Dodgers cruising early.
(🎥: @Dodgers) pic.twitter.com/ILvUth48yt— Dodger Blue (@DodgerBlue1958) March 10, 2024
#Dodgers fifth starter Gavin Stone?
(🎥: @Dodgers) pic.twitter.com/b0eNCUFy8g
— Dodger Blue (@DodgerBlue1958) March 10, 2024
Stone protected the comfortable lead by carving his way through the Diamondbacks lineup over four scoreless innings. He allowed just two hits and collected five strikeouts.
In four Cactus League games (three starts), Stone is 2-0 with a 0.93 ERA and 0.62 WHIP while holding opponents to a .161 batting average.
The Dodgers went quiet after their big first inning but Will Smith got them back on the board with an RBI triple in the fourth. Taylor’s RBI single extended the Dodgers’ lead in the fifth inning, and Shohei Ohtani and Freeman each had an extra-base hit that created more of a distance in the sixth.
The top four in the Dodgers lineup — Mookie Betts, Ohtani, Freeman and Smith — went a combined 8-for-13 with one double, two triples, a home run and five RBI.
Another encouraging development for the Dodgers was Gavin Lux appearing more comfortable at second base. He converted on multiple opportunities, including being part of a 6-4-3 double play with Betts.
Who is the Dodgers’ fifth starting pitcher?
Stone’s latest effort added onto his bid to make the Dodgers’ Opening Day rotation, which he is competing with Michael Grove, and to a lesser extent, Kyle Hurt and Ryan Yarbrough, to earn the fifth spot.
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