After being scratched from his last start with left forearm tightness, Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Alex Wood was back on the mound Thursday afternoon as the Los Angeles Dodgers hosted the defending World Series champion Kansas City Royals.
The Royals sent Kris Medlen to the mound in what’s the only spring matchup between the two teams. Wood allowed a pair of singles in the first inning, but a double play ball and a strikeout helped him throw a scoreless frame.
With two outs in the bottom of the first, Joc Pederson doubled off the right field wall, which was followed by an RBI single by Scott Van Slyke, giving the Dodgers a 1-0 lead.
Former Dodgers catcher Drew Butera doubled high off the left field fence with one out in the second inning. Two batters later, Royals third baseman Angel Franco singled to right scoring Butera and tying the game.
Other than a walk by Alex Gordon, neither team was able to come up with any offense in the third, which wound up being Wood’s final inning of the day. Kenley Jansen entered in the fourth and looked the sharpest he has all spring, striking out the side.
Van Slyke continued his hot hitting on the day, knocking a double off the fence in left-center field with one out in the bottom of the fourth. He was stranded however, as Alex Guerrero grounded out and Austin Barnes struck out swinging.
CONTINUE READING: Royals bust game open against J.P. Howell
Chris Hatcher replaced Jansen in the fifth inning and walked Humberto Arteaga, who went on to steal second base. Hatcher struck out Raul Mondsei, then gave way to J.P. Howell.
The Dodgers’ left-handed reliever promptly gave up an RBI single to Gordon, followed by a Kendrys Morales hitting a towering two-run home run that extended the Royals’ lead to 4-1. Howell’s troubles continued as Jorge Bonifacio ripped a double by Guerrero.
Bonifacio scored on a Cody Decker RBI single before Howell managed to get out of the inning. Kelvin Herrera retired the side in order in the bottom of the fifth, bookending the inning with strikeouts.
Louis Coleman worked around a one-out double in the sixth to throw a scoreless inning of relief; he collected two strikeouts in the process. The Royals turned to another reliever, Ross Ohlendorf, who set the Dodgers down in order to keep Kansas City’s lead at 5-1.
Ross Stripling put together another strong relief appearance as he retired all six batters faced over two innings in the seventh and eighth. The Dodgers loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the seventh, but were unable to capitalized.
Elian Herrera was tagged as he attempted to score on a wild pitch that ricocheted nearly perfectly back toward home plate. Brooks Pounders then got called strike three on Charlie Culberson to end the inning.
The Dodgers had two runners reach in the ninth, but weren’t able to mount a comeback and lost to the Royals, 5-1.