The Los Angeles Dodgers fell 7-6 to the Texas Rangers at Surprise Stadium on Saturday in spring training play. Despite Dalton Rushing's 2-for-3 with a home run and two RBI effort at the plate, the Dodgers could not pull even when it mattered. Jackson Ferris worked 1.2 innings on the mound, allowing 0 earned runs on 1 hit. The Dodgers finished with 11 hits on the day while holding the Rangers to 10. The Dodgers will look to regroup as spring training rolls on. There is still time to work through the rough patches before the regular season arrives, and the coaching staff will use today's performance as a learning opportunity.
Key Performers
Dalton Rushing was the offensive highlight at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a home run and two RBI. The long ball provided a major boost to the offensive attack. It was the kind of day at the plate that suggests good things ahead for the Dodgers offense.
Nick Senzel also contributed, going 1-for-1 with a home run and two RBI, Jake Gelof chipped in, going 1-for-2 with a home run and an RBI, and Mike Sirota added to the attack, going 1-for-1 with a home run and an RBI. Despite the individual efforts, the offense could not generate enough sustained production.
On the other side of the diamond, Sam Haggerty led the Rangers offense with a 1-for-2 with a home run and an RBI day. Andrew Velazquez also contributed, going 1-for-2 with a double and two RBI. Nick Pratto added a 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI effort as well. The Rangers offense proved to be too much for the Dodgers pitching staff to contain on this particular day.
On the Mound
Jackson Ferris got the start, having a rough go of it, working 1.2 innings while allowing 0 earned runs on 1 hit with one strikeout. He threw 37 pitches in the outing. His outing provided the coaching staff with another data point as rotation and bullpen decisions loom.
The bullpen combined for 5.4 innings of work, allowing 5 earned runs while striking out seven. The relief corps kept the game within reach after the starter departed. Managing the bullpen workload is a key priority during the spring, and every outing helps the coaching staff gauge who is ready for high-leverage situations. Dane Acker recorded the save to close out the game.
Among the relievers, Cole Irvin stood out with 2.0 innings of 1-run work, striking out two. The outing gave the coaching staff confidence in his ability to contribute this season.
How It Happened
The Dodgers struck first, pushing across two runs in the first inning. Rangers struck back with a run in the fourth. The Dodgers answered with two runs in the fifth. Rangers responded with two runs in the fifth. Rangers pushed across three runs in the sixth. Rangers plated a run in the seventh. The Dodgers answered with a run in the eighth. The Dodgers tacked on a run in the ninth. The Rangers were able to score in four separate innings, keeping the pressure on throughout the contest. The Dodgers out-hit Rangers 11-10 on the day, with 1 error committed between the two clubs. A crowd of 8,448 was on hand to take in the action.
Looking Ahead
The Dodgers will regroup and get back to work in their next outing. While the final score was not in their favor, the exhibition season is about building toward the regular season, and this game provided useful reps for a roster still taking shape. The coaching staff will review the performance and make adjustments before the next time out.