Storied rivals Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants met on an overcast Sunday afternoon at Scottsdale Stadium for the first of two meetings this spring. Zach Lee took the hill for the Dodgers, while Jeff Samardzija started for the Giants.
Samardzija opened the game by striking out Carl Crawford on three pitches, setting the tone for the first inning. Joc Pederson was caught looking at strike three, and Yasiel Puig went down swinging as Samardzija struck out the side.
Zach Lee gave up a leadoff single to Gregor Blanco and caught a bad break as Crawford dropped a relatively routine fly ball in left field, leaving two on with no outs. Lee managed to work his way out of trouble and keep the game scoreless by retiring the next three batters faced.
Scott Van Slyke hit a one-out base hit up the middle in the second, only for it to be followed by A.J. Ellis grounding into an inning-ending double play on the first pitch of his at-bat.
Lee’s second inning of work was much easier than his first as he retired the side in order. He exited the game with one strikeout and 30 pitches thrown over two frames. Samardzija took the mound again for the third, which wound up being his most taxing inning of the day.
Micah Johnson’s single single was followed by Cody Bellinger’s opposite-field base hit to put runners on the corners with one out. Crawford added to Samardzija’s trouble with an RBI single that gave the Dodgers a 1-0 lead.
After Pederson struck out looking for a second time, Puig hit a chopper up the middle that Kelby Tomlinson managed to get his glove on, limiting Puig to an infield single. Chase Utley left the bases loaded by striking out on a pitch low and inside.
CONTINUE READING: Carl Crawford Collects Second RBI, Dodgers Extend Lead In Eighth
