The theme of strong pitching continued early for the Los Angeles Dodgers but they suffered an 8-6 loss to the Texas Rangers in the first of two Cactus League meetings over the next week.
The Dodgers committed one error in the first and second innings, but Victor Gonzalez picked them up. He completed two scoreless innings and had improved command than what was seen during his Cactus League debut last week.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts identified Gonzalez as someone he anticipates reaching the Majors this season; either contributing as a starter or out of the bullpen.
Kenley Jansen’s third game of Spring Training was another clean outing. He wasn’t overly sharp but effectively mixed off-speed pitches and capped off a 1-2-3 third inning with a strikeout.
The Rangers didn’t have their first hit of the game until Nick Solak reached on a blooper to lead off the fourth inning. It appeared Kiké Hernandez made an over-the-shoulder diving catch, but the umpire — who seemingly was blocked by Hernandez’s body — ruled the ball hit the ground.
At the plate, Hernandez clubbed a solo home run off Corey Kluber in the third inning. Kluber went three innings in his Rangers debut, pitching through plenty of traffic and holding the Dodgers to just two runs.
L.A. loaded the bases with nobody out in the first inning, only to score one run when Will Smith tapped back to the right of the mound for the second out. Kluber allowed two hits and issued two walks but also finished with four strikeouts.
The Dodgers’ failure to capitalize on their opportunities came back to cost them when the Rangers rallied in the fifth inning. Adam Kolarek was knocked around for six hits and four runs, putting the Dodgers in a 4-2 deficit.
Corey Seager didn’t aid Kolarek’s effort as he came up empty on a sliding stop attempt with the bases loaded. A potential double play instead turned into a two-run base hit. Joey Gallo and Isiah Kiner-Falefa added solo home runs off Tyler Gilbert in the sixth inning, and Sam Huff clubbed one in the seventh to break the game open.
Those insurance runs proved key as the Dodgers began to flex their power in the late innings. Zach McKinstry hit a solo home run in the bottom of the eighth, and in the ninth Cristian Santana followed a leadoff walk with an RBI triple.
Edwin Rios added a two-run homer before the Rangers managed to record an out in the inning, but the Dodgers’ comeback bid then stalled.
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