Dodgers Notes from Spring Training: Spring Game 15/Home Game 7

Throughout Spring Training the Dodgers PR department sends out helpful daily notes from Camelback Ranch, and I am happy to pass them along.  See what they've written below.

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Colorado Rockies (8-6) at LOS ANGELES DODGERS (9-3-2)

Wednesday, March 16, 2016 – 1:05 p.m. MT | Camelback Ranch - Glendale

RHP Chad Bettis (0-2, 2.77) vs. RHP Zach Lee (1-0, 2.89)

TV: None Radio: None

Today's Dodger lineup:
Ethier LF
Kendrick DH
Turner 3B
Utley 2B
Puig RF
Grandal C
Van Slyke 1B
Pederson CF
Herrera SS
(Lee P)

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) March 16, 2016

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(Sky over Camelback, pic taken and shared by Alanna Rizzo on twitter)

STREAK SNAPPED: The Dodgers lost to their Camelback Ranch neighbors, the White Sox, yesterday, 8-6, snapping a four-game Cactus League winning streak. Joc Pederson went 2-for-3 with a double and a run scored, raising his spring average to .318, and the Dodgers clubbed four home runs, one each by Andre Ethier, Kike Hernandez, Austin Barnes and Rob Segedin.  On the mound, Kenta Maeda allowed two unearned runs in 3.2 frames and Chris Hatcher tossed a scoreless inning.

• The Dodgers beat the Rockies, 6-4, at Salt River Field on Sunday. Last year, Los Angeles was 11-8 against the Rox, including 7-3 at Dodger Stadium.

BARNESTORMING: Dodger catcher/infielder Austin Barnes hit his fourth home run of the spring yesterday, temporarily taking over sole possession of the team lead until Rob Segedin came up in the 9th inning and blasted his fourth. Overall, the Dodgers’ 20 home runs are tied with Arizona for third in the Cactus League, trailing just the White Sox (26) and Cubs (22). The club’s offense has been clicking on all cylinders this spring, ranking second among NL clubs in batting average (.293), on-base percentage (.362) and slugging percentage (.503), behind only Arizona. Individually, Scott Van Slyke (.417, 3rd), Austin Barnes (.375, 6th) and Micah Johnson (.357, T-8th) rank among the NL leaders in batting average.

(AJ Ellis, pic via @Dodgers on twitter)

• On the mound, Dodger All-Star Clayton Kershaw’s 10.0 innings pitched is tied with Cincinnati’s Brandon Finnegan for the most in baseball this spring while his 10 strikeouts are tied for second among NL clubs.  

DOING WORK: The Dodgers are inviting the Los Angeles community to meet more than 100 employers and pursue nearly 3,000 job opportunities available Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the 21st annual Community Job Fair at Dodger Stadium. Those interested in attending should register by visiting: https://lajobfair2016.eventbrite.com.

TRIMMING THE ROOM: On Monday, the Dodgers made their first cuts of the spring, optioning RHP Jharel Cotton and reassigning RHP Lisalverto Bonilla, RHP Chase De Jong, RHP Caleb Dirks, RHP Jacob Rhame, RHP Chris Anderson, OF Alex Hassan and C Kyle Farmer to minor league camp. The Dodgers have 54 players in big league camp, excluding Brandon McCarthy and Frankie Montas, who are on the 60-day DL.

TODAY’S PROBABLE PITCHERS:

• RHP Zach Lee will make his third start of the spring, after tossing 3.0 innings against the Angels on Friday. Lee, 24, saw his first big league action last season, starting at New York-NL on July 25, and was named the Dodgers’ Branch Rickey Minor League Pitcher of the Year after combining to go 13-6 with a 2.63 ERA in 21 starts with Triple-A Oklahoma City, Single-A Rancho Cucamonga and the Rookie-level AZL Dodgers. Lee ranked among the Triple-A Pacific Coast League leaders in wins (11, T-3rd), ERA (2.70, 2nd), WHIP (1.11, 1st), strikeout-to-walk ratio (4.26, 3rd) and home runs allowed per 9.0 innings (0.40, 3rd).
• LHP Julio Urias will make his second appearance, after making his spring debut Friday against the Angels. The 19-year-old, who was the Dodgers’ 2014 Minor League Pitcher of the Year, combined to go 3-5 with a 3.81 ERA in 18 starts last year, primarily with Double-A Tulsa before a late-season promotion to Triple-A Oklahoma City. Urias also made several rehab starts last year with Single-A Rancho Cucamonga and the Rookie-level AZL Dodgers following cosmetic surgery on his left eye, which cost him two months of the season on the DL. Urias enters the 2016 season rated by MLB.com as the top left-handed pitching prospect in baseball and the fourth-best overall prospect.
• RHP Carlos Frias is expected to pitch in his fourth game of the spring, after making his first start on Saturday against the Mariners. He enters his third big league season after going 5-5 with a 4.06 ERA in 17 games (13 starts) with the Dodgers last season.
• RHP Yimi Garcia will make a relief appearance for the fifth time this spring, after his fourth straight scoreless outing against the Rockies on Sunday. He ranked among the NL’s best relievers in WHIP (0.95, 5th), opponents’ batting average (.199, 16th), opponents’ on-base percentage (.242, 4th) and strikeout-to-walk ratio (6.60, 3rd).
• LHP Adam Liberatore will appear in his fifth game, after most recently throwing a scoreless frame against the Rockies. Liberatore saw his first big league action last season with the Dodgers, going 2-2 with a 4.25 ERA in 39 games.
• RHP Matt West will come on in relief for the fifth time, last pitching 1.0 inning against the Rockies and striking out two. He tossed 3.0 scoreless innings in two relief appearances with the Dodgers after being acquired from the Blue Jays last year

(Kiké enjoying tacos brought by AGon, pic via Kiké on twitter)

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