One day after Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts announced Hyun-Jin Ryu had secured a spot in the starting rotation, Alex Wood took the mound looking to make a final impression as he attempts to beat out Brandon McCarthy for the fifth starter’s job.
However, left some to be desired, getting hit early and often by the Cincinnati Reds. He allowed back-to-back singles to Billy Hamilton and Zack Cozart, and Hamilton later stole third base to put runners on the corners with one out.
Adam Duvall’s bloop RBI single gave Cincinnati a 1-0 lead before Wood managed to get out of the inning on a double play. The Dodgers quickly answered back, with Cody Bellinger slugging a two-run home run to right field in the second inning.
The homer was Bellinger’s first since he hit a monster shot out of Maryvale Baseball Park on Feb. 26. Arismendy Alcantara’s solo home run in the bottom of the second erased the Reds’ deficit.
Scott Feldman struck out a pair in the third and benefitted from Austin Barnes being thrown out on his stolen base attempt after walking with one out. A single and walk put two runners on for the Reds with nobody out in the bottom of the third.
Wood then surrendered back-to-back RBI base hits to Eugenio Suarez and Scott Schebler, putting the Dodgers in a 4-2 hole. Kiké Hernandez doubled and Tyler Holt walked, but Feldman managed to get through the fourth inning unscathed.
Hamilton doubled with one out in the bottom half of the fourth, stole third base, and was awarded home plate because of interference by Rob Segedin. Wood’s rough afternoon carried into the fifth, when Duvall’s solo home run extended the Reds’ lead to 6-2.
Feldman hit Hernandez with a pitch in the sixth, and was replaced by Barrett Astin. The right-hander struck out Bellinger to end the inning. Wood worked around a leadoff single in the bottom of the sixth to complete his first scoreless frame.
His day’s work came to an end after allowing six runs (five earned) on 11 hits, including two home runs, in six innings. Wood finished with four strikeouts to one walk.
In his Spring Training debut, Dodgers’ 2015 first-round draft pick Walker Buehler issued a walk then allowed a two-run homer to Duvall a mere two batters into his appearance. Buehler received a mound visit from Chase Utley, settled in and retired the next three hitters faced.
Austin erased a Trayce Thompson single by inducing Segedin into an inning-ending double play in the eighth. A single, walk and error led to the Reds loading the bases against Buehler with nobody out in the bottom of the eighth.
Steve Geltz replaced Buehler and held the Reds to just one run, scored on a sacrifice fly. Will Smith homered in the ninth but it made little impact in the Dodgers’ 9-3 loss at Goodyear Ballpark.
