The Chicago Cubs were without several of their regular players on Thursday at Camelback Ranch, but still defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers a second time this spring. More importantly for Los Angeles, Hyun-Jin Ryu turned in a successful second start.
He went the expected three innings, allowed one run on three hits, walked one and finished with four strikeouts. Two batters after Albert Almora Jr. doubled in the first inning, Matt Szczur’s RBI single gave the Cubs an early lead.
Eddie Butler set the Dodgers down in order in the bottom of the first, ending the inning by striking out Yasmani Grandal. Ryu struck out Munenori Kawasaki and Chris Dominguez after issuing a one-out walk in the second inning.
Chris Taylor further bolstered his case to earn a spot on the Dodgers’ Opening Day roster by making a terrific diving stop to start a double play in the third inning. Taylor then hit a hustle double in the bottom of the third, only to be stranded by Ryu and Logan Forsythe.
Grandal reached on an Ian Happ fielding error but nothing came of it and the Dodgers’ deficit remained 1-0 through four innings. Grant Dayton collected a strikeout en route to retiring the Cubs in order in the fifth.
After four innings of one-hit ball, Butler gave way to Justin Grimm, who tossed a 1-2-3 bottom of the fifth. Yaisel Sierra added to his strong showing in spring by setting the Cubs down in order in the sixth inning.
Yasiel Puig struck out for a second time on the afternoon, slammed his bat into the ground to express disagreement with the call, and was promptly ejected in the bottom of the seventh. The string of scoreless work from the Dodgers’ bullpen was snapped when Sierra allowed a two-out, RBI double in the eighth inning.
A pair of doubles in the ninth inning extended the Cubs’ lead. Willie Calhoun singled to start the bottom of the ninth and Charlie Culberson drew a walk, but both runners were stranded and the Dodgers suffered a 4-0 loss.
