The Colorado Rockies handed the Los Angeles Dodgers a 6-4 loss at Camelback Ranch on Sunday in spring training play. Despite Teoscar Hernández's 1-for-2 with an RBI effort at the plate, the Dodgers could not pull even when it mattered. On the mound, Landon Knack turned in a solid outing, working 3.0 innings of 2-run ball. The Dodgers finished with 12 hits on the day while holding the Rockies to 8. The loss is a minor bump as the Dodgers continue fine-tuning ahead of Opening Day. The exhibition season is about preparation, and today provided the kind of reps the coaching staff needs to see.
Key Performers
Teoscar Hernández was the key contributor at the plate, going 1-for-2 with an RBI. His consistent contact set the tone for the lineup. The Dodgers will be hoping for more of the same as the spring continues.
Andy Pages chipped in, going 1-for-2 with a double and an RBI, Alex Call added to the attack, going 1-for-2 with an RBI, and Josue De Paula provided support, going 1-for-2. The Dodgers showed flashes of offense but could not piece together the big inning they needed.
On the other side of the diamond, Jake McCarthy led the Rockies offense with a 1-for-1 with three RBI day. Brenton Doyle also contributed, going 1-for-3 with an RBI. Vimael Machín added a 2-for-3 with a double effort as well. The Rockies offense proved to be too much for the Dodgers pitching staff to contain on this particular day.
On the Mound
Landon Knack got the start, battling through his outing, working 3.0 innings while allowing 2 earned runs on 1 hit. He threw 36 pitches in the outing. The coaching staff will review his performance as they continue mapping out the pitching plan for the regular season.
The bullpen combined for 5.3 innings of work, allowing 4 earned runs while striking out eight. The Dodgers continue to sort through their relief options as they build their Opening Day bullpen. Every inning pitched in the spring is an opportunity for pitchers to make their case for a spot on the roster when the games start counting. Adam Laskey recorded the save to close out the game.
Among the relievers, Ben Casparius stood out with 1.0 innings of scoreless work, striking out two. It was an impressive showing that could factor into roster decisions.
How It Happened
Rockies got on the board first with a run in the first inning. The Dodgers answered with three runs in the second. Rockies responded with a run in the third. Rockies pushed across four runs in the fifth. The Dodgers struck back with a run in the sixth. The Rockies were able to score in three separate innings, keeping the pressure on throughout the contest. The Dodgers out-hit Rockies 12-8 on the day, with both teams playing clean defense. A crowd of 11,879 was on hand to take in the action.
Looking Ahead
Despite the result, the Dodgers will take the lessons learned from this game and move forward. Spring training is about preparation and evaluation, not wins and losses, and the coaching staff gained valuable information about the roster today. There is still time to make adjustments before the regular season begins, and games like this one are part of that process.