The Los Angeles Dodgers had a sleepy performance and never led in their penultimate Cactus League game, falling 8-2 to the Texas Rangers at Surprise Stadium. The loss snapped the Dodgers’ modest two-game winning streak and dropped them to 4-6-4 in spring play this year.
Corey Seager went 1-for-2 with a home run and two RBI in his first game against the Dodgers. Seager’s solo homer came off Daniel Hudson — among the options for Dodgers closer — in the fifth inning. The home run was Seager’s third of Spring Training.
Ryan Pepiot’s second start was a mixed bag as he twice jammed batters, only for each instance to result in a hit. That led to the Rangers taking a 1-0 lead in the first inning as Marcus Semien doubled and Mitch Garver hit an RBI single.
Pepiot then struggled some with location of pitches in the second inning. The Rangers loaded the bases with nobody out but Pepiot managed to keep the damage to just two runs.
Victor Gonzalez took over for Pepiot in the bottom of the third and saw Nathaniel Lowe deposit his first pitch over the fence for an opposite-field home run. Then like Gonzalez and Hudson, Blake Treinen joined the group of Dodgers relief pitchers to give up a leadoff homer.
Joe McCarthy added a second home run off Treinen before he could get through the seventh inning, and Nick Solak took Mark Washington deep in the eighth for a solo shot.
As the Rangers were adding onto their lead, the Dodgers had just three baserunners after Chris Taylor’s walk with two outs in the fourth inning.
Dodgers probables
Friday is the first off day of Spring Training for the Dodgers, and when they are back on the field, Clayton Kershaw is scheduled to start against the San Francisco Giants in their Cactus League finale.
Walker Buehler — the Dodgers Opening Day starter — is slated to pitch in the opener of the exhibition Freeway Series.
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