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Spring Training Recap: Kenley Jansen Allows Deciding Home Run In Loss To White Sox

Matthew Moreno
4 Min Read
Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

PAGES: 1 | 2

Stuck in a two-game losing streak for the first time this spring, the Los Angeles Dodgers faced the Chicago White Sox in the third of four exhibition meetings. Saturday’s game featured a pair of left-handed aces in Clayton Kershaw and Chris Sale.

Howie Kendrick hit a one-out double to left-center field in the first inning, but was stranded as Scott Van Slyke grounded out and Alex Guerrero flied out. Kershaw set the White Sox down in order in the bottom of the first, picking up one strikeout in the process.

Sale breezed through the second inning as he kept the Dodgers off the bases. Todd Frazier led off the bottom of the second with a double down the left field line. He then scored on Jerry Sands’ two-out RBI single that gave the White Sox an early 1-0 lead.

Dioner Navarro followed with a base hit to put runners on the corners. Chicago pushed across another run on Tyler Saladino’s RBI infield single that went off Kershaw’s shin.

Kiké Hernandez sparked a brief two-out rally for the Dodgers in the third with a base hit to center field. Kendrick continued his string of solid hitting as he lined an RBI triple down the right field line that was just out of Abreu’s reach.

Abreu hit a one-out single in the bottom of the third, but was later picked off to end a scoreless inning of work for Kershaw. Guerrero jumped on Sale’s first pitch in the fourth inning to hit a home run that resembled a pop fly and carried well beyond the left field fence to tie the game at 2-2.

Rico Noel flashed his trademark speed by opening the fifth with a bunt single. A Hernandez base hit put runners on first and second with none out. However, Hernandez was backpicked at first base, then Sale retired Kendrick and Van Slyke to work out of trouble.

CONTINUE READING: Kenley Jansen allows crucial two-out home run

Matthew Moreno is a journalist from Whittier, Calif., who is a credentialed reporter and is currently the Managing Editor of DodgerBlue.com and LakersNation.com. In addition to covering Los Angeles Dodgers and Los Angels Lakers, Matthew has a strong passion for keeping up to date with the sneakerhead culture. It began with Michael Jordan and Air Jordan shoes, and has carried over to Kobe Bryant's signature line with Nike. Matthew previously was the lead editor and digital strategist at Dodgers Nation, and the co-editor and lead writer at Reign of Troy, where he covered USC Trojans Football. Matthew graduated from California State Long Beach University with a major in journalism and minor in communications. Contact: matt@mediumlargela.com