The Los Angeles Dodgers and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim opened the three-game exhibition Freeway Series at Dodger Stadium on Thursday night. The meeting was the first of two scheduled at Chavez Ravine before the Dodgers open the 2016 season in San Diego.
Scott Kazmir was on the hill for a second look at his former club in what was also his final start of the spring. Kazmir retired the first two batters faced, then gave up a long two-out single to Albert Pujols.
Nothing came of it for the Angels as C.J. Cron struck out to end the inning. Kiké Hernandez went inside-out to line a leadoff single to right field off Andrew Heaney in the bottom of the first. Hernandez was erased on a force out at second base that left Yasiel Puig on first.
A hit-and-run with Justin Turner batting put runners on the corners with one out for Adrian Gonzalez. Turner advanced to second base, but he and Puig were stranded as Johnny Giavotella robbed Scott Van Slyke of an RBI infield single.
Kazmir issued a one-out walk in the second inning and found himself in some trouble as Carlos Perez followed with a base hit. Kazmir kept the Angels off the board by inducing Shane Robinson into a 6-4-3 double play.
Chase Utley led off the bottom of the second with a base hit, and Corey Seager reached on an infield single up the third base line. Kazmir’s sacrifice bunt attempt was thwarted as Utley was forced out at third base.
Hernandez then flied out and the game remained scoreless through two innings. Kazmir remained sharp in the third as he set the Angels down in order. Heaney followed suit in the bottom half, ending the inning by striking out Gonzalez.
CONTINUE READING: Angels capitalize on Corey Seager’s error
Kazmir walked Kole Calhoun with two outs in the fourth, then was let down by Seager as he dropped a pop-up in shallow left field. Perez made the Dodgers, lining Kazmir’s next pitch to right field for an RBI single that gave the Angels a 1-0 lead.
Heaney protected the lead by retiring the Dodgers in order for a second consecutive inning. After Yunel Escobar hit a one-out single in the fifth, Kazmir appeared to get out of the inning on a double play.
However, Angels manager Mike Scioscia successfully challenged the out call at first base. That marked the end of Kazmir’s night, with Yimi Garcia coming on in relief. Garcia got Pujols to fly to center for the third out.
Seager led off the bottom of the fifth with a base hit and moved into scoring position on a Heaney wild pitch. Puig’s two-out RBI single tied the game at 1-1 before Heaney could get out of the inning.
Simmons pulled a two-out single to left field off Pedro Baez in the sixth, but he was out as he attempted to stretch it to a double. A.J. Ellis reached on a throwing error with two outs in the bottom of the sixth. He was stranded as Charlie Culberson lined out to center field.
Louis Coleman worked around a leadoff single in the seventh to toss a scoreless inning of relief. Al Alburquerque struck out the side in the bottom of the inning to keep the game tied at 1-1.
J.P. Howell entered in the eighth, gave up a leadoff single, and was promptly removed. Chris Hatcher came on in relief and was unable to get out of the inning before Todd Cunningham’s RBI single gave the Angels a 2-1 lead.
The Dodgers had the tying run reach base with two outs in the ninth, but couldn’t cash it in and dropped the series opener to their crosstown rival.