The Los Angeles Dodgers matched up with the Cleveland Indians a second time this spring, with Clayton Kershaw looking to continue preparing for Opening Day. He was backed by a lineup that lost Howie Kendrick less than 30 minutes before first pitch due to left calf tightness.
Joc Pederson led off against Trevor Bauer with a fly ball to right field for an out. After Yasiel Puig struck out on three pitches, Justin Turner hit a ground-rule double. Adrian Gonzalez followed with a shot to deep center but was robbed of an RBI and extra bases by Rajai Davis.
Davis led off against Clayton Kershaw but popped out to second. Jason Kipnis followed with a ringing double that one-hopped the center field wall. He was brought home on a ball fisted over Kiké Hernandez at shortstop to give the Indians an early 1-0 lead.
Kershaw responded by striking out Mike Napoli and getting Marlon Byrd to ground out to end the inning. In the second, Scott Van Slyke led off with a double inside the first baseline. A.J. Ellis failed to advance the runner as he struck out swinging.
Hernandez popped out to first base in foul territory, again failing to advance the runner. Elian Herrera drilled a liner to the left side of the infield, but it was snagged by Juan Uribe to end the scoring threat.
Uribe hit a leadoff double to the right-center field gap over a stretched-out Pederson. Joey Butler followed with a bouncer to third that Turner picked on a short-hop and easily threw out the runner.
Colin Cowgill hit a high fly ball that carried over Pederson’s head, scoring Uribe and resulting in a triple. Roberto Perez drew a walk to put runners on the corners and turn the lineup over. A bouncer to third off Davis’ bat led to a 5-2-5-1 putout.
Kershaw walked Kipnis on a four pitches to load the bases, bringing up Francisco Lindor. Kershaw struck out the young shortstop to end the laborious second inning with a 2-0 deficit. Trayce Thompson led off the third with a bouncer toward the hole at short, but a nice sliding play and throw from Uribe recorded the first out.
CONTINUE READING: A.J. Ellis ties game in ninth inning on squeeze play
Pederson went down on a check swing to strikeout, while Puig launched a ball over Davis’ head in center field but was thrown out at second trying to leg out a double to end the third. Marlon Byrd dropped a one-out blooper in shallow right field line for a cheap double in the bottom half of the inning.
Kershaw got Uribe to chase a pitch for a strikeout, then spun a curveball to take care of Butler. Van Slyke reached base for a second time in the game by drawing a two-walk in the fourth. He was stranded as Ellis tapped back to Bauer.
Cowgill collected his second extra-base hit of the night by driving a leadoff double to left-center field in the bottom of the fourth. Kershaw issued a walk before getting out of the inning on a force out and pair of strikeouts.
Hernandez drew a leadoff walk in the fifth and raced around to score on Thompson’s RBI double that cut the Dodgers’ deficit to 2-1. Kershaw again found himself in trouble after issuing a leadoff walk and Turner throwing error that put runners on the corners with none out.
Uribe popped out and Butler grounded into an inning-ending double play, keeping the score at 2-1 in favor of the Indians. Turner led off the sixth with base hit up the middle, which Joba Chamberlain followed by walking Gonzalez.
Joe Blanton replaced Kershaw in the sixth and promptly issued back-to-back walks before recording an out. He then gave way to J.P. Howell, who inherited runners on the corners. Howell allowed both runners to score, which led to Jamey Wright entering the game.
The Indians tacked on another against the right-hander, taking a 5-1 lead to the seventh inning. After Puig hit an RBI double with two outs, Rob Segedin drew a walk. Gonzalez represented the tying run, but he grounded out to end the inning.
Ellis legged out an infield single in the eighth, then Herrera extended the inning with a base hit of his own. However, the Dodgers were again unable to capitalize on having the tying run at the plate, as Thompson grounded into a force out.
After a Rico Noel leadoff walk and Devan Ahart single, Segedin hit an RBI double to cut the Indians’ lead to 5-3. Mike Ahmed’s sacrifice fly pulled the Dodgers within a run. Van Slyke drew a walk to put runners on the corners, then Ellis tied the game at 5-5 on a squeeze play.
Minor League pitcher Chris Barlow retired the Indians in order in the bottom of the ninth, securing the Dodgers’ third tie of Spring Training.