The Los Angeles Dodgers and crosstown rival Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim met Friday afternoon in the second of three Spring Training meetings. Zach Lee and Nick Tropeano both made their second Cactus-League starts of the year, with each producing nearly identical results in their first outings.
The scoring for the afternoon started in the top of the first inning, as Lee began the game shaky. After a Cliff Pennington leadoff double, Lee collected two consecutive outs. However, he did not escape the inning as Ji-Man Choi singled, followed by a Geovany Soto three-run home run.
The Dodgers responded in the bottom of the first inning with back-to-back singles by Joc Pederson and Corey Seager. Yasiel Puig followed with a double play ball, scoring Pederson from third to give the Dodgers their first run of the game.
Austin Barnes received the start with his 2015 Triple-A batterymate Lee. While leading off the second inning against Tropeano, Barnes crushed a full-count pitch into the left field seats to cut the Angels’ lead to 3-2.
After a Rob Segedin walk, Shawn Zarraga blooped a ground-rule double. Corey Brown followed with a sacrifice fly, tying the game at 3-3. Lee issued a leadoff walk in the third, but bounced back by getting Rafael Ortega to ground into a double play, and C.J. Cron to fly out.
The Dodgers recorded two quick outs in the bottom of the third inning, leaving Adrian Gonzalez at the plate with no runners on. On a 2-0 pitch, Gonzalez crushed an opposite field home run to give the Dodgers a 4-3 lead.
Lee’s outing ended after three frames. He allowed three runs on three hits and had two strikeouts. Corey Seager was also removed after three innings due to feeling tightness in his leg.
Kenley Jansen replaced Lee and opened the fourth inning with a walk. Choi then stole second base with one out, where he was stranded.
CONTINUE READING: Julio Urias impresses, then struggles in 2016 Spring Training debut
J.P. Howell retired side in order with back-to-back strikeouts to end the top of the fifth. Puig doubled off the left-center field fence to give the Dodgers a runner in scoring position with one out.
Nothing came of it however, as Gonzalez lined into the shift and Puig was doubled up at second base to end the inning. Pedro Baez, celebrating his 28th birthday, tossed a scoreless sixth inning.
He received some help from Charlie Culberson, who made a diving stop and throw to help keep the Angels off the bases. Julio Urias made his first appearance of the spring in the seventh inning and proceeded to strikeout the side.
Urias was sent back out for the eighth inning and struggled mightily. Jefry Marte hit a leadoff single and scored the tying run on David Fletcher’s RBI double.
Fletcher then came around to score on Nick Buss’ RBI triple, giving the Angels a 5-4 lead. Urias walked Rafael Ortega and was replaced by Louis Coleman.
The right-hander struck out the first batter faced, but the Angels scored a run on a successful double steal. Yunesky Maya struck out Culberson and Cody Bellinger as he set the Dodgers down in order in the bottom of the eighth.
With Jacob Rhame on the mound, the Angels added to their lead in the ninth inning behind a RBI doubles from Marte and Fletcher. The Dodgers weren’t able to overcome their deficit and lost to the Angels, 8-4.