The Los Angeles Dodgers showcased their offensive prowess early on, jumping to a 4-0 lead in the first inning against the Cincinnati Reds. Despite a spirited effort from the Reds to close the gap, the Dodgers maintained their momentum and secured a 9-5 victory on Thursday night, bringing Cincinnati's spring record to 9-9.
Game Highlights
Nick Lodolo had a rocky start for the Reds. After Elly De La Cruz made a stellar defensive play to prevent a hit, Lodolo struggled as the next four Dodgers reached base. Santiago Espinal, a former Red, delivered a crucial double, driving in two runs to cap off the Dodgers' 4-run inning.
Cincinnati responded in the top of the second inning. Dodgers starter Cole Irvin faced control issues, walking Dane Myers and allowing a single to Noelvi Marte.
Back-to-back walks to Ke’Bryan Hayes and Rece Hinds brought in the Reds' first run. In the third inning, Noelvi Marte singled to drive in Sal Stewart, and a wild pitch allowed Dane Myers to score, narrowing the Dodgers' lead to 4-3.
However, the Dodgers extended their lead in the bottom of the third. Alex Call's 2-out single set the stage for Max Muncy's 2-run homer. Lodolo managed to finish the inning and even tossed a perfect fourth before his day was done.
Tejay Antone took over in the fifth but faced immediate challenges, giving up a leadoff single and a 2-run homer to Teoscar Hernandez. Despite allowing the next two batters to reach base, Antone settled down to retire the next three, wrapping up the inning after 31 pitches.
In the top of the seventh, the Reds capitalized on a Dodgers error. Hansel Jimenez reached base on a miscue and scored on Carlos Jorge's double.
Jorge later crossed home on a passed ball, cutting the deficit to 8-5. But the Dodgers quickly responded with a solo home run from Kyle Nevin, extending their lead to 9-5, which held until the final out.
News and Notes
Noelvi Marte continued his hot streak, collecting two hits and driving in a run. His spring stats are impressive, boasting a .313/.333/.625 line. Dane Myers also shone, contributing a hit and a walk, raising his spring average to .350/.552/.650 with nine walks and just two strikeouts.
Sal Stewart matched his walks and strikeouts this spring, maintaining a solid .321/.424/.571 average with two homers. Carlos Jorge's double, despite its modest exit velocity, was a welcome addition given his recent hard-luck at-bats.
Yunior Marte and Anthony Misiewicz each delivered a scoreless inning in relief. Misiewicz, in particular, has been effective, lowering his ERA to 1.80 over 5.0 innings this spring.
Looking ahead, the Reds face a doubleheader against the San Francisco Giants on Friday. The road game kicks off at 7:05pm ET, while the home game in Goodyear starts at 9:05pm ET.
Only the home game will have radio coverage, but MLBtv and audio package subscribers can catch the Giants' broadcast from Scottsdale. Pitchers scheduled for the road game include Chase Burns, Chase Petty, Luis Mey, Hagen Danner, and Lyon Richardson.
At home, fans can expect to see Brady Singer, Pierce Johnson, Zach Maxwell, Connor Phillips, and Graham Ashcraft take the mound.