D-backs drop spring game to Dodgers in first meeting of year

PHOENIX — The Arizona Diamondbacks took the field against their division rival and the reigning World Series champions, the Los Angeles Dodgers, in the first of two meetings this spring on Wednesday night.

The Dodgers won the eight-inning affair 3-2.

Camelback Ranch was filled with Dodger blue as the sellout crowd of 2,400 enjoyed a beautiful night of baseball and just nearly missed a marquee matchup of Clayton Kershaw starting for Los Angeles and Madison Bumgarner starting… in a simulated game at Salt River Fields earlier in the day.

But what the D-backs did have was Seth Frankoff on the mound, who did not shy away from the opportunity against the defending champs.

Frankoff, who the D-backs signed to a minor league deal on Jan. 5, appeared in two games last season for the Mariners but has limited Major League experience. He spent two seasons with the Doosan Bears where he led the KBO in wins in 2018 after playing his first MLB game with the Chicago Cubs in 2017. This was his third start of the spring.

The 32-year-old righty looked solid his first time through the rotation, striking out four batters in two innings of work while only allowing one hit, one walk and no runs.

“I think overall he did a really nice job of attacking the zone and executing a game plan that was going to produce some quick, easy outs,” manager Torey Lovullo said of the outing. “He got into the fourth inning and threw the ball extremely well outside of a couple minor mistakes.”

Once he started his second trip through the rotation in the third inning, the Dodgers did what they do with right fielder Mookie Betts hitting a single that went just over shortstop Josh Rojas’ glove. With one man on, Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager did not miss with a two-run bomb on the next at-bat.

Frankoff went 3.1 innings with three hits and two earned runs, which has essentially been his line for every start for the D-backs. He struck out four and walked one.

Left fielder David Peralta continued to stay hot, hitting a leadoff home run off Kershaw in the top of the first, his first dinger of the spring. The Freight Train went 1-for-3 with two RBI, which were the D-backs’ only runs.

“You hit a home run on any pitch at any time against any pitcher, it’s a very successful at-bat,” commented Lovullo on Peralta’s matchup against Kershaw.

“But I think both guys were playing their cards very close to their vest and Kershaw obviously wasn’t going to throw out a game plan. David jumped all over a fastball and you got to give him some credit on that.”

UP NEXT 

The D-backs will have a day off on Thursday and pick things back up on Friday against the Los Angeles Angels in Tempe.

Zac Gallen, who hasn’t allowed a run this spring, will get the start for Arizona with first pitch scheduled for 1:10 p.m.

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