With just a couple days left in Cactus League play, the Los Angeles Dodgers hosted the Arizona Diamondbacks at Camelback Ranch on Friday afternoon just hoping to avoid any more key injuries.
Luckily for the Dodgers, there were no injuries, but they fell, 10-4, to their division rivals to drop to 12-13-2 on the spring.
Top prospect Tony Gonsolin was scheduled to get the start on the mound for the Dodgers, but he was scratched due to an illness so Dennis Santana made his first start of the spring for the Dodgers.
Santana’s outing did not get off to the best start as he gave up a leadoff home run to Adam Jones, who recently signed a one-year contract with Arizona.
He then gave up two more runs in the second inning, with Jones again doing the damage. Santana walked to opposing pitcher with two outs to load up the bases and Jones made him pay with a two-run single.
Overall, Santana allowed three hits and three runs in three innings while striking out five and walking two in what could have been an audition to make the Opening Day roster.
The Dodgers offense stayed quiet for most of the day. although both Justin Turner and A.J. Pollock had solid days at the plate. Turner continued his torrid pace this spring by going 2-for-3 with a home run. He now has three Cactus League home runs and is hitting .474.
Pollock reached in all three of his plate appearances to raise his batting average to .319. He doubled, singled and walked.
Dodgers Minor League pitcher Luis Vasquez struggled a bit in the sixth inning, allowing two hits and two runs while walking one and only recording one out.
Former first-round draft pick Jeren Kendall doubled to begin the seventh and later scored on a single by Josh Thole to cut the deficit to 6-3. Kendall then homered in his final at-bat but Arizona tacked on four more runs in the later innings to secure the victory.
