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Spring Training Recap: Dodgers Hit 4 Home Runs To Take Freeway Series From Angels

Matthew Moreno
3 Min Read
Gary A. Vasquez/USA TODAY Sports

The Los Angeles Dodgers wrapped up their exhibition schedule with four more home runs in a 6-4 win over the L.A. Angeles to take two of three in the Freeway Series.

The Dodgers were led by two home runs from Mookie Betts, which were his first of the spring. More notable, however, was that both came against a left-hander Jose Quintana. Betts historically has hit southpaws well but regressed in that area last season.

The homers also came hours after Betts said he was focused on being more consistent this year. “Being there every night, being present every night, being able to affect the game in someway every night,” he explained. “That’s pretty much it. I’m just trying to take my abilities and be more consistent with them.”

Sandwiched between Betts’ two solo shots was a home run from Cody Bellinger and Justin Turner’s RBI double. Will Smith homered in the fifth inning to extend the Dodgers’ lead to 6-1. For Bellinger and Smith it marked consecutive games with a home run.

Getting another chance to start on a five-day routine and in his final tuneup before facing the Oakland Athletics on Monday, Dustin May turned in an encouraging outing. He did have to work around some traffic, including in the first inning when Shohei Ohtani singled and Mike Trout walked.

May didn’t retire the side in order until the third inning, and he allowed a run in the fourth on Justin Upton’s RBI single. That wound up being all as he struck out four and got through 5.1 innings on 85 pitches.

Dodgers bullpen

On the relief front, Blake Treinen finished out the sixth inning and Mitch White worked a perfect seventh with two strikeouts. Victor Gonzalez handled the eighth and Minor League Andre Jackson allowed a three-run home run to Phil Gosselin and later a single and double before being removed.

Alex Vesia took over and stranded the tying runners in scoring position.

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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