The Los Angeles Dodgers started their set of split-squad games this Spring Training with an afternoon matchup against the Seattle Mariners at Peoria Sports Complex. Los Angeles and Seattle split the previous two meetings this spring. The Dodgers will complete their busy day by hosting the Chicago White Sox at 7:05 p.m. PT.
Chase Utley opened the game with a base hit to left field, then Scott Van Slyke continued with his career success against Wade Miley by also knocking a single to left. A.J. Ellis’ two-run double gave the Dodgers an early lead before Miley managed to work his way out of the inning.
It didn’t take long for the Mariners to score off Scott Kazmir as they did so on a trio of consecutive hits. Ketel Marte’s leadoff double was followed by a Kyle Seager RBI triple. Stefen Romero’s RBI groundout then tied the game at 2-2.
Kazmir struck out Nelson Cruz, allowed a two-out base hit to Seth Smith, and threw a wild pitch before getting Dae-Ho Lee to ground into the third out.
Seager’s throwing error allowed Jacob Scavuzzo to reach in the second inning with none out. He was quickly erased on a force out that left Kazmir on first base. Utley’s single gave the Dodgers two on with one outs.
However, both runners were stranded as Trayce Thompson grounded into an inning-ending double play. Kazmir set the Mariners down in order in the bottom of the second, collecting a pair of strikeouts in the process.
Van Slyke improved to 2-for-2 on the day by pulling a leadoff base hit to left field in the third. Miley induced Ellis into a double play, and struck out Rob Segedin to end the inning. Romero was stranded in the bottom of the third after hitting a two-out single.
CONTINUE READING: Dodgers rally in ninth inning falls short
A Brandon Hicks leadoff walk in the fourth came around to hurt Miley as he Hicks scored with one out on Jacob Scavuzzo’s RBI double. Kazmir worked around a two-out Steve Clevenger base hit in the bottom of the fourth, ending the inning on a strikeout to preserve the Dodgers’ 3-2 lead.
That was it for Kazmir as he threw 70 pitches in four innings, allowed two runs, but none from the second through fourth innings, and had five strikeouts. He was removed due to abdominal discomfort, but maintained he will be fine moving forward.
The Dodgers squandered a Van Slyke base hit in the fifth as Ellis followed by grounding into an inning-ending double play. Adam Liberatore replaced Kazmir and gave up an inside-the-park home run to Marte that tied the game.
Seager followed with a double off the right field fence. Romero struck out swinging on a pitch in the dirt, but rather than throw to first base to complete the out, Ellis nailed Seager attempting to take third base.
Liberatore then ended the inning by striking out Cruz. Smith led off the bottom of the sixth with a towering solo home run that gave the Mariners a 3-2 lead. Scavuzzo quickly tied the game by hitting a solo homer off Mariners reliever Tony Zych in the seventh.
Matt West’s second inning of work began with the Mariners combining for back-to-back base hits. Seager collected his third extra-base hit of the game, pulling a two-run double down the right field line to give the Mariners a 6-4 lead and knock West out of the game.
Jacob Rhame entered and retired the three batters faced. Lisalverto Bonilla made his Dodgers debut and promptly gave up a leadoff double to Lee. He later scored on a Daniel Robertson force out.
After Hicks drew a walk, he scored on Charlie Culberson’s RBI triple. Scavuzzo reached base a fourth time as he lined an RBI single to left field, cutting the Dodgers’ deficit to 7-6. Matt Jones followed with a base hit to put runners on first and second base with none out.
The Dodgers then stalled as Steve Cishek retired the next three batters and the Mariners escaped with a win.