The Los Angeles Dodgers played their first night game of the spring on Wednesday, facing the rival San Francisco Giants at Scottsdale Stadium. The contest was started by a pair of hurlers in Scott Kazmir and Matt Cain who are looking to bounce back from a subpar season.
Kazmir was strong in his first inning of work, but struggled in the second and was removed after throwing 36 pitches in 1.2 innings. He allowed two runs but exited with a 3-2 lead. Cain was hurt by a Charlie Culberson RBI single and Henry Ramos two-run triple, with both hits coming in the second inning.
San Francisco took the lead on the Dodgers’ bullpen and were ahead 5-3 when the fifth inning began. George Kontos walked Ramos and Chase Utley to put two on with nobody out.
After striking out Yasmani Grandal, Kontos allowed a line-drive home run to Pederson that put the Dodgers ahead.
? "That was one loud swing." #JocPop ? pic.twitter.com/2u953c1Uox
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) March 2, 2017
Not only was it Pederson’s first homer of the spring, but his first hit as well. He entered the contest 0-for-4 with two strikeouts in a pair of Cactus League starts this year.
While the Dodgers have questions at the corner outfield positions, Pederson is undoubtedly the starter in center, and is expected to receive more at-bats against left-handed pitchers this season.
