Puig ignites Dodgers with first spring homer

March 5th, 2017

PHOENIX -- homered and had a pair of hits and drove home the tiebreaking run as the Dodgers beat a Mariners split squad on Sunday, 7-3, at Camelback Ranch-Glendale.
The Dodgers scored two runs in the sixth on multiple misplays by Seattle's defense, which squandered the lead provided when came off the bench to slug a three-run homer a half-inning earlier. Seattle was charged with three errors. The Dodgers had led, 2-0, on a fourth-inning home run from Puig (accompanied by a classic bat flip) and a fifth-inning run scored by Bellinger on a wild pitch.
Young starters of the Mariners and of the Dodgers dueled evenly with a pair of scoreless innings each. Moore was Seattle's Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2016, while Urias is the Dodgers' 20-year-old prodigy now lined up to be the fourth starter.
"Everything was working, the velocity was there, the sharpness of his pitches," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said of the lefty Urias, who is starting regularly this spring but has not officially been named the No. 4 starter.

Moore, the Mariners' No. 5 prospect per MLBPipeline.com, needed just 20 pitches in his two innings and has yet to allow a run in four frames this spring.
"I really liked his fastball location," said Mariners bench coach Tim Bogar, who managed the split-squad club on the road. "He threw the ball really well, commanded the zone and actually got a changeup for a popup, so his offspeed was working pretty well. He dominated the strike zone."
Puig, battling to regain his job as the starting right fielder, also was in midseason form with a bat flip after taking Pat Venditte deep to left field.
"I think he earned that one," Roberts said of Puig's bat flip. "In the context of not disrespecting opponents and playing the game for the team, you've got to have fun. If you hit a homer, that's part of the game and you're going to celebrate things. If you're doing things the right way, I've got no problem with it. The way he's playing, with enthusiasm, that's who he is and that's a good thing."
Mariners closer made his second appearance of the spring, striking out one in a perfect third inning.

Up next
Mariners:Drew Smyly makes his second start of the spring in Monday's 12:10 p.m. PT game against the Rangers at Peoria Stadium. Veterans Nick Vincent and and hard-throwing youngsters and are among the scheduled relievers. The game will be available live on MLB.TV and ROOT Sports.
Dodgers: is expected to make his Cactus League debut on Monday against the Rockies as designated hitter after missing 10 games with right elbow tendinitis. He will play again on Tuesday before joining Team Mexico for the World Baseball Classic. starts for the Dodgers. Monday's game starts at 12:10 p.m. PT and will be available live on Gameday Audio.
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