Dodgers overcome first inning grand slam to beat Guardians

Roki Sasaki had his second outing of Spring Training on Tuesday, and it didn’t start very well.

After allowing a single and two walks to the first three batters, Sasaki gave up a grand slam to Kyle Manzardo. He then walked the next batter and then was removed from the inning. Roki re-entered the game in the bottom of the second, looking much better. He struck out two and induced a fly out. He also set down the side in the bottom of the third.

After his outing, Sasaki told reporters that his upper body mechanics felt “off”. He was able to get things more in sync in the second and third innings, saying “Actually, I was able to find something I could really trust. But I still need to work on [it] to produce in the game.” In an interview with Kirsten Watson on SportsNet LA, Sasaki remarked that once he stood up straighter, then everything started going better.

In the first inning, Sasaki was missing everything arm side. In the second, he started the first batter with two balls but then found his groove, recording strikes on seven of his next eight pitches. He struck out two with his splitter.

Those four runs were all the Guardians would be able to score against the Dodgers, however. The rest of the pitchers on the day combined to strike out 11, while allowing two hits and walking four.

World Series hero Will Klein looked especially good, striking out two and retiring the side on just nine pitches.

River Ryan is keeping his name in the starting rotation talk with another good outing. Across two innings and 28 pitches, Ryan didn’t allow a hit or a run, striking out three, including Jose Ramirez, and walking one.

Miguel Rojas continues his hot spring, going 2-for-3 including a two-run homer in the third inning. Rojas is batting .375 with a .952 OPS so far this spring.

Zach Ehrhard tripled in two runs in the fourth, and then scored to give the Dodgers the lead that they would carry to the end of the game.

The Dodgers will face Team Mexico on Wednesday at Camelback Ranch. Tyler Glasnow will pitch for the Dodgers, against a TBD starter for Mexico.