Hyeseong Kim and Freddie Freeman each hit their first home run of Spring Training, and the Los Angeles Dodgers erased three different deficits in their 6-5 comeback win over the San Francisco Giants.
Kim reached base twice in the game, including once via walk. That led to scoring the Dodgers’ first run of the game as Kim raced around the bases when Griffin Lockwood-Powell’s slicing fly ball to left field dropped in front of Luis Matos’ diving attempt and rolled to the wall.
The Dodgers still trailed 2-1 when Kim came up to bat in the fifth inning, but he pulled them even by going the other way for an opposite-field home run. The homer was Kim’s first of Spring Training and just his second hit in Cactus League — the other being an infield single.
Thus far, Kim is only 2-for-16 with seven strikeouts. He started at shortstop on Saturday as the Dodgers continue to have him play multiple positions in effort to leverage his defensive versatility.
After the Giants took another lead, Freeman tied the game in the bottom of the sixth inning on his first Spring Training home run of the year. Freeman was playing in just his second game, with each coming as the designated hitter in the Dodgers’ lineup.
Freeman is planning to start at first base on Sunday.
Teoscar Hernández followed Freeman’s blast with a double, and he later scored a go-ahead run on James Outman’s sacrifice fly.
The Dodgers’ lead was short-lived, however, as Jerar Encarnacion hit a two-run home run in the seventh inning that put the Giants back in front.
Josue De Paula’s two-out RBI single with the bases loaded tied the game in the seventh inning, and Aaron Bracho’s solo home run in the eighth put them ahead for good.
Austin Barnes leading Dodgers’ ABS challenges
Austin Barnes started behind home plate and had three successful Automated-Ball Strike (ABS) challenges on calls made by home plate umpire Adam Hamari. Barnes improved to 5-for-5 this spring on ABS challenges, all of which have come behind the plate.
Hunter Feduccia also was successful in his challenge of a Hamari call, but the Giants lost both of theirs.
Have you subscribed to the Dodger Blue YouTube channel? Be sure to ring the notification bell to watch player interviews, participate in shows and giveaways, and stay up to date on all Dodgers news and rumors!
