Dodgers Escape A Loss to The Guardians

By: Angela Redding | Los Angeles, CA | Hollywood Beat magazine | March 1, 2024
Photos: MLB Dodgers

Gaither’s Grand Slam Saves the Game

Dodgers Game Recap

Date: March 1, 2024 – Spring Training – Night game
Teams: Los Angeles Dodgers vs Cleveland Guardians
Location: Camelback Ranch

Starting Pitchers:

Dodgers: Tyler Galsnow – Second Appearance at Spring Training

Cleveland Guardians: Carlos Carrasco

Highlights

Shohei Ohtani made his second Cactus league and Dodgers appearance.

Bottom of the First

Betts is out, Ohtani is walked, Freeman is out, and making his Cactus League debut after signing a one-year deal with the Dodgers, Kike Hernandez grounds a ball down third base, and #17 Ohtani is out at second base.
Three outs ending the inning –

Score: 0-0

Top of the Third

Glasnow walks once and is able to get three outs without giving up a run.

Bottom of the Third

Guardians bring in Tyler Beede to pitch. #12 Chris Owings grounds the ball down the middle for a base hit.
Betts comes up to bat. Owings steals second base on the third pitch to Betts. Betts hits a high fly and is out.
After 13 pitches and a full count, #17 Ohtani hits into right field, making it possible for Owings to run in and score, putting the Dodgers on the board – score 1-0.

Freddie Freeman grounds a ball to second base – double play – three outs.

Bottom of the Fourth

Hernandez #8 hits a fair ground ball to third base on the first pitch and gets a leadoff double. #23 Heyward comes up to bat and is struck out. Barnes bats and is out at first, placing Hernandez on second base. Still hopeful the Dodgers Rojas comes up to bat but strikes out.

Score: 1-0 Dodgers

Bottom of the third Inning

Hudson is on the mound for the Dodgers and strikes out two Rangers. Another scoreless inning.

Top of the fifth

Things start to heat up as the Guardians make a run to lead the game. Pitching for the Dodgers is #74 Nabil Crismatt. Guardians Gabriel Arias #13 steps up to bat and gets on first base. Will Brennan #17 comes to bat and Crismatt has pitched three balls and one strike to him at which point Arias steals second base. Crismatt walks Brennan.
Tyler Freeman #2 is at bat. On the first pitch, there is a double steal. Arias and Brennan are now on second and third base. Freeman strikes out. Fry comes to bat with only one out on the board. He hits a ground ball, takes first base, and brings in Arias and Brennan.

Score: 2-1 Cleveland

Bottom of the fifth

Beede is pitching for the Guardians and things are looking up for the Dodgers with Betts and Ohtani ready to bat. Vargas strikes out, Owing doubles, and ends up at second base and is replaced with Ward who will run for him. Betts strikes out with one out and a man at second base.
Ohtani steps up with 2 outs on the board and is walked for the second time in the game. The Dodgers have runners at first and second. Swaggerty comes in to run for Ohtani.
Cleveland makes a pitching change- Beede out and Carver in. The possibility of another run by the Dodgers is quickly put to rest as Ward is thrown out at home plate.

Damage in the Eighth

With the score at 2-1 Cleveland, it seemed like the Dodgers might be heading for another loss. J.P. Feyereisen #45 pitches to Daniel Schneemann, who hits a solid shot down the first base line for a leadoff triple. Before the top of the eighth ends, Schneemann comes in to score, giving the Guardians a 3-1 lead over the Dodgers. The Guardians have two outs and José Tena #8 gets a base hit, and the runner scores.

Score: 4-1 Cleveland

Bottom of the Eighth

Was there any hope for the Boys in Blue?

Tyler Zuber #61, a non-roster invitee for Cleveland, takes the mound and strikes out Swaggerty. Avans hits a hard single down past first base to get on base. Feduccia strikes out, two outs on the board for the Dodgers.

#87 Davis comes to bat, and on a wild pitch from Zuber, Avans takes second base. With a left-field base hit by Davis, Avans scores, giving the Dodgers a glimmer of hope.

Score: 4-2 Cleveland

Freeland gets a base hit, and runners are at first and second. Joe Vetrano #97 is walked, and bases are loaded. Gauthier steps up to the plate, looking as if he is ready for anything the pitcher throws at him, and just like that, he hits a grand slam home run.

Score: 6-4 Dodgers

The young players in Blue stepped up to the plate and let it be known they are here to play ball.

Quick quotes/Notes:

Gauthier was asked by Kristen Watson, Sportsnet LA about his grand slam.
Smiling Gauthier says, “Fastball. I was looking at it and got a hold of it.”

Couch Roberts told Kristen Watson – Sportsnet LA that he felt Galsnow did an exceptional job his second time out.

Final score: 6-4 Dodgers

This was the Dodgers sixth Cactus League win.

NEXT GAME: Dodgers vs Chicago Cubs at Camelback Ranch-Glendale on Saturday at 1:05 PM PST.