The Los Angeles Dodgers picked up a 14-8 victory over the Chicago Cubs at Sloan Park on Sunday in spring training action. Jack Suwinski paced the offense, going 1-for-2 with a home run and three RBI, giving the coaching staff plenty to be encouraged about as the exhibition schedule continues. On the mound, Emmet Sheehan turned in a solid outing, working 3.2 innings of 2-run ball with four strikeouts. The Dodgers finished with 12 hits on the day while holding the Cubs to 8. The victory gives the Dodgers positive momentum heading into the final stretch of spring training. The coaching staff will look to build on the strong showing in the games ahead.
Key Performers
Jack Suwinski was the offensive highlight at the plate, going 1-for-2 with a home run and three RBI. His ability to drive the ball out of the park was the highlight of the afternoon. Performances like this give the Dodgers confidence that the lineup is rounding into form.
Mookie Betts also contributed, going 1-for-3 with a home run and an RBI, Zach Ehrhard chipped in, going 1-for-3 with a triple and two RBI, and Damon Keith added to the attack, going 1-for-2 with a triple and two RBI. The depth of production throughout the lineup was encouraging to see.
On the other side of the diamond, Devin Ortiz led the Cubs offense with a 1-for-2 with a home run and four RBI day. Nico Hoerner also contributed, going 1-for-2 with a home run and two RBI. Owen Miller added a 1-for-1 with a double and an RBI effort as well. Despite those contributions, the Dodgers pitching staff did enough to limit the damage and secure the victory.
On the Mound
Emmet Sheehan earned the win after putting together a workmanlike effort, working 3.2 innings while allowing 2 earned runs on 3 hits with four strikeouts. He threw 66 pitches in the outing. It was a useful learning experience as the Dodgers evaluate their pitching depth heading into the regular season.
The bullpen combined for 5.1 innings of work, allowing 5 earned runs while striking out eight. Spring training gives the coaching staff a chance to evaluate bullpen depth, and today was an encouraging showing from the relievers. Each reliever is auditioning for a roster spot, and innings like these factor into those decisions.
Among the relievers, Antonio Knowles stood out with 1.0 innings of 1-run work, striking out two. His performance was one of the day's bright spots from the bullpen.
How It Happened
The Dodgers struck first, pushing across four runs in the first inning. The Dodgers plated a run in the second. The Dodgers added four runs in the third. Cubs responded with two runs in the third. The Dodgers countered with a run in the fourth. Cubs struck back with a run in the seventh. The Dodgers answered with four runs in the ninth. Cubs responded with five runs in the ninth. The Dodgers spread their scoring across five different innings, applying consistent pressure throughout the game. The Dodgers out-hit Cubs 12-8 on the day, with 1 error committed between the two clubs. A crowd of 13,888 was on hand to take in the action.
Looking Ahead
As the exhibition schedule nears its conclusion, the Dodgers can point to this game as a step in the right direction. The combination of solid pitching and timely hitting is exactly what the coaching staff hopes to see at this stage of the spring. The focus now shifts to maintaining this level of play with the regular season just around the corner.