Turner, Hill help Dodgers even Freeway Series

April 1st, 2017

ANAHEIM -- crushed a solo home run off in the fourth inning to help lift the Dodgers to a 3-1 win over the Angels on Friday night in the second game of the Freeway Series at Angel Stadium.
Turner blasted a 1-1 slider from Richards to left-center field, opening the scoring and collecting his fourth homer of the spring. It had an exit velocity of 106.6 mph, which would have been his third-hardest hit of the Statcast™ Era (2015-16) had it counted in the regular season. Turner is now batting a torrid .385 with 16 RBIs in exhibition play.
"Ever since maybe late May, early June of last year, he's been sort of locked in," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said of Turner. "He's squared up a lot of baseballs. He hits good pitching. He gives you a quality at-bat every time he gets out there."
The Dodgers added two runs in the eighth off Angels reliever , who surrendered RBI doubles to and .
The Angels were held scoreless through the first eight innings before put them on the board with an RBI single in the ninth.

With the win, the Dodgers evened the three-game series with the Halos, setting up a rubber match for Saturday's finale at Dodger Stadium. The Angels took the Freeway Series opener, 3-1, on Thursday.
In one of his best outings of the spring, Dodgers left-hander Rich Hill tossed 3 2/3 scoreless innings, giving up four hits and one walk while striking out two. Hill is in line to start the Dodgers' third regular season game Wednesday against the Padres.
"Just getting him out of Arizona, I don't know if it was the sea level or what, [but] he just had a much better feel of all his pitches," Roberts said. "This is the best I've seen him since last year."

Richards allowed one run on two hits, including the home run to Turner, over four innings in his final tuneup of the spring. He walked one, struck out three and threw 57 pitches.
"It felt good just to be out there and be on a big league field and be able to compete," said Richards, whose fastball hovered between 92-97 mph. "The first inning, I was just trying to settle myself down and just kind of go right at guys and just repeat my delivery. Everything feels good, and I feel good right now."
Richards is scheduled to start the Angels' third game of the regular season against the A's in Oakland on April 5. Last year, the 28-year-old made his final start for the Halos on May 1 after being diagnosed with a partially torn ulnar collateral ligament, but he avoided Tommy John surgery by receiving an injection of stem cells in his damaged right elbow.
"I just feel very blessed and very thankful for my teammates who stood by me the whole time and obviously our training staff and our team doctor," Richards said. "Everybody did such a great job with me, and I really appreciate it. It's been a long time. I've got to watch a lot a baseball, so it's good to be out there and competing again."
Angels right-hander , who's fighting for a bullpen spot, extended his impressive streak by striking out the side in the ninth. Parker's last 17 outs have come via strikeout.

Dodgers Up Next: The Dodgers return home Saturday to Chavez Ravine for the conclusion of their spring exhibition slate. Righty , who was named the club's fourth starter earlier this week, will start the Freeway Series finale against the Angels at 6:10 p.m. PT.
Angels Up Next: Right-hander closes out exhibition play for the Angels by starting against the Dodgers on Saturday in the Freeway Series finale at Dodger Stadium. First pitch is at 6:10 p.m. PT.
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