Mookie Betts, James Outman and Freddie Freeman provided fireworks to lead the Los Angeles Dodgers to an 8-4 win over the Chicago White Sox in their first meeting of Spring Training.
Betts has just two hits in Cactus League play thus far, with both being leadoff home runs. He provided the Dodgers with an early 1-0 lead that Outman extended on his two-out RBI triple to left-center field in the second inning.
Outman nearly hit a home run for the second consecutive game as he continues to put together an impressive showing. He’s among the player under consideration to make the Dodgers Opening Day roster in the wake of Gavin Lux’s ACL injury.
Freddie Freeman also continued his hot hitting with a two-run homer in the fifth inning, and Austin Barnes added a two-out RBI single in the sixth.
Barnes, Betts and Freeman are among the Dodgers players on the verge of leaving Spring Training camp in order to participate in the 2023 World Baseball Classic.
So too is Julio Urías, who stretched out to four innings. He allowed three hits, collected one strikeout and threw 49 pitches. The outing built on Urías’ first Cactus League start of the year, which he said was a focal point heading into the WBC.
Urías is starting the first game Team Mexico plays, which is against Colombia on Saturday, March 11.
Andre Jackson followed Urías with two scoreless innings, but Victor González allowed the White Sox to cut into their deficit in his 2023 debut.
González’s trouble began with a leadoff walk that was compounded by Yonny Hernández’s throwing error. González wound up allowing four runs and recorded just one out in the seventh inning before giving way to Rubby De La Rosa.
Evan Phillips worked a clean eighth inning and Phil Bickford finished out the game.
Kershaw pitches for Dodgers in B game
Sunday also saw Clayton Kershaw get into his first action of Spring Training, but it came in a B game against players from the White Sox organization.
Kershaw got through three innings and is expected to make his next start in a Cactus League game.
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