In a game that was more like a pinball contest than a baseball game, the Dodgers slugged their way to an 11-6 win over the Rangers on Friday night in the first of two weekend exhibition games at The Alamodome.
The game was essentially over in the top of the first inning, when the first two batters of the game singled for the Dodgers, followed by a line drive home run to left field by Yasiel Puig for a quick 3-0 lead.
The Dodgers would add two more home runs in the inning, a three-run shot by Matt Carson and a two-run home run by Joc Pederson, blistering Anthony Bass for eight runs in the opening frame.
Rangers pitcher Anthony Bass is in treble in the first inning
— Eric Stephen (@truebluela) March 21, 2015
The game was weird all the way around, with its slippery and quick turf, scoreboards and scaffolding in play - accounting for two early pop-fly singles - plus weird dimensions.
In case you were wondering, it's 275ft down the right field line at the #Alamodome. pic.twitter.com/PYumPsWxHz
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) March 21, 2015
The right field wall waxed nostalgic with the Metrodome-like baggy, which was cool.
The Rangers struck for two runs of their own and left the bases loaded against Erik Bedard, whose night of building up his pitch count quickly became a survival battle. The first inning in total lasted over 45 minutes.
Bedard left after just one inning.
The Dodgers hit five home runs in total, with Enrique Hernandez and Justin Turner joining the party, and were able to hold off the Rangers thanks to a quartet of pitchers restoring some semblance of order.
Joe Wieland struck out four in three innings, allowing one run, and combined with Paco Rodriguez, Daniel Coulombe and Pedro Baez to retire 10 straight before Texas scored with two outs in the ninth inning.
Up next
The Dodges are back at it again for two games on Saturday, beginning at 11 a.m. Zack Greinke takes the mound for the Dodgers and will get a chance at the 275-foot opposite field wall in the early game, against Anthony Ranaudo for Texas.
See Saturday lineups.
Meanwhile, back in Arizona at Salt River Fields, Chad Gaudin starts for the Dodgers against Jhoulys Chcain for the Rockies.