The Los Angeles Dodgers hosted the Cleveland Indians at Camelback Ranch on Monday with Alex Wood making his first start of the spring. The left-hander entered camp on the outside looking in at a Dodgers rotation that added depth during the offseason.
However, with a back injury to Brett Anderson and Hyun-Jin Ryu not expected to return until May, Wood figures to be one of five starting pitchers come Opening Day. Wood was opposed by Indians righty Danny Salazar on Monday.
Wood got off to a rough start, as he gave up a leadoff home run to Jose Ramirez. After Corey Seager committed two errors, Wood was taken deep again, this time a three-run shot by Giovanny Urshela to put the Indians out in front, 4-0, after the top half of the first.
Salazar issued a leadoff walk to Joc Pederson to start the bottom of the first. After striking out the next two batters faced, Salazar walked Scott Van Slyke to put two on with two outs. The Dodgers weren’t able to capitalize though, as Yasmani Grandal grounded out to end the inning.
Once again Wood worked himself into a bit of trouble, giving up two hits to start the second. He was then able to get two groundouts and a fly out, limiting Cleveland to just one run. Wood allowed five runs, two earned and had two strikeouts in his two innings of work.
After Salazar retired the Dodgers in order in the bottom half of the second, the Dodgers called on Yimi Garcia to make his second appearance of Spring Training. Garcia looked sharp, retiring the Indians in order, striking out the final hitter he faced.
With two outs in the bottom of the third, Seager collected his first hit of the spring, doubling down the right field line. Adrian Gonzalez followed with a fly out to left, ending any chance at a two-out rally.
Brandon Beachy allowed a single and issued a walk in the fourth, but escaped the inning without Cleveland extending their lead.
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Indians closer Cody Allen got an inning of work in the bottom of the fourth. He struck out Van Slyke, and got Grandal and Trayce Thompson to fly out to complete a perfect inning. Beachy issued his second walk of the game in the top of the fifth, this time to Carlos Santana.
Grandal threw out Santana attempting to steal to end the inning. Rob Segedin led off the bottom of the fifth with a walk. Shawn Zarraga followed with a base hit, then Charlie Culberson hit a three-run home run to cut the Dodgers’ deficit to 5-3.
J.P. Howell entered in the sixth and quickly allowed the Indians to extend their lead. After back-to-back base hits and an error that loaded the bases, Rajai Davis connected on a two-run single.
Grandal led off the bottom of the sixth with a double and later came around to score on Thompson’s RBI double. Kenley Jansen allowed back-to-back doubles in the top of the seventh, with the latter extending the Indians’ lead to 8-4.
After two walks and a wild pitch, Rico Noel got a run across on an RBI groundout. The Dodgers were unable to score any runs in the eighth or ninth innings and suffered their first loss of the spring, 8-5.