Zach Lee blows 6-inning save in Dodgers’ seventh tie Dodgers Nation — 21 minutes ago After nearly a month of Spring Training games, the Los Angeles Dodgers wrapped up Cactus League play Wednesday against the reigning American League champions Kansas City Royals. Darwin Barney led off the game with a triple to right-center field, but was easily thrown out at home plate as he attempted to score on an A.J. Ellis grounder to third. Chris Heisey had another opportunity to put the Dodgers on the board with two on and two outs, but grounded out to end the inning. After issuing a walk to Jarrod Dyson to start the bottom of the first inning, Clayton Kershaw benefited from a fluke double play. Alex Rios hit an infield pop-up that Dyson didn’t track and he was caught in no-man’s-land before being doubled up at first. Royals starter Yordano Ventura struck out Kiké Hernandez to start the second inning, and then retired Corey Seager and Darnell Sweeney on groundouts for quick a 1-2-3 inning. After hitting a one-out single in the bottom of the second, Paulo Orlando got a good jump on Kershaw and stole second base. Orlando advanced to third as Ellis’ throw went into center field.The Royals took a 1-0 lead on Kershaw’s errant pickoff attempt to first base that got past Scott Van Slyke. Barney had another gutsy play on the basepaths in the third inning by stretching a single into a double. Barney’s risk paid dividends as Ellis came up next and doubled down the left field line to score the Dodgers second baseman and tie the game at 1-1. Kershaw then retired Kansas City in order in the bottom half of the inning. Chris Heisey ended up on second base thanks to an error by Alex Rios, who dropped a routine pop-up in right field. Seager moved Heisey to third on a single to right, then Sweeney gave the Dodgers a 2-1 lead on a groundout to first in which Royals first baseman Whit Merrifield was unable to start a double play. Zach Lee replaced Kershaw in the bottom of the fourth to wrap up a successful spring for Kershaw. The Dodgers’ right-handed prospect picked up where Kershaw left off by retiring the side in order, which included striking out Orlando to end the inning. Travis Whiterspoon led off the fifth for the Dodgers with a base hit against Wade Davis. Whitershpoon then stole second base and scored on Chris O’Brien’s RBI single that extended the Dodgers’ lead to 3-1. Still with no outs and two men on base, the Dodgers looked primed to add their lead, but Davis maneuvered his way around the next three batters to get out of trouble. Lee returned in the bottom of the fifth and retired Christain Colon, Merrifield and Jackson in order, and all on fly outs. Former two-time Dodgers draftee Luke Hochevar relieved Davis in the sixth inning and made quick work of the Dodgers, retiring Kyle Jensen, Seager and Sweeney. Lee was lights out in the bottom of the sixth after allowing a leadoff single to Erik Kratz. The 23-year-old bounced back to strike out Bubba Starling, Moises Sierra and Angel Franco to end the inning. Chris Young replaced Hochevar in the bottom of the sixth and was greeted with a leadoff home run hit by Whiterspoon. Cody Bellinger later hit a two-out double off the 6’10 right-hander, but the Dodgers were unable to capitalize. Lee struck out the first batter he faced in the bottom of the seventh but then gave up a solo home run Brett Eibner that cut the Dodgers’ lead to 4-2. Seager hit a one-out double in the eighth and advanced to third base on a ground out where he was stranded. Lee remained on the mound in the bottom of the eighth, allowed a base hit but nothing else in his fifth inning of work. Daniel Moyer hit a leadoff single and O’Brien drew a walk to give the Dodgers two on with no outs. Both runners advanced on wild pitch from Franklin Morales, who then settled in and retired the next three batters he faced. For as sharp as Lee had been throughout the day, Eiber hit his second home run of the game — a two-run shot that tied the game in the ninth. Ben Rowen took over for Lee and promptly gave up back-to-back singles. Rowen then got a double play to end the game and the Dodgers had their seventh tie of the spring; they concluded Cactus League play with a 16-9-7 record.
I know this is not this kid's epitaph or anything, but I was just never impressed by what I actually saw from him...great PR preceding him, lots of positive buzz, nice ratings within the system, etc. But I never got where it all came from when I finally watched him. Maybe long relief, but he won't make his bones as a starter with the Dodgers, IMO.
Lee is going to be a fine #3 or #4 starter. His ceiling is limited now as his stuff didn't improve much post HS.
I don't get it then....if he's got pretty much the same stuff as he had in HS, then how can he compete against ML players, particularly as a 3 or 4? Getting scrambled is getting scrambled, wherever his stuff leaves him...but I do hope you're right. I just dont see it.
I read that as Lee striking out dudes, inducing ground ball / Fly ball outs and giving up a few hits in his 4th inning of work. I think they may have even mentioned Lights Out in one of the sentences describing his work on the bump today..I would chalk that up as a successful outing for the youngster, rather than a blow the lead to contribute to the 7th Tie of SPRING TRAINING!!! Seriously Glad I read the whole thing rather than the title.
lol greinke... Bill Plunkett of the Orange Count Register asked Zack Greinke if he got what he needed out of today's minor-league start: "I hope so." Plunkett then asked if he was ready for the season: "I hope so."
That was a sexy delayed steal from Trout right there. Surprised we don't see many delayed steals anymore.
I know I'm tooting my own horn here, but I doubled off of our current pitcher Josh Ravin in high school. He was on the same team that had Matt Dominguez, Mike Moustakas and another Dodger minor leaguer Bobby Coyle. Needless to say, their high school runs shit in baseball.
