For a while it looked like the Dodgers would have their second 5-5 tie of the day on Saturday night, but a Ray Olmedo RBI double in the bottom of the eighth inning gave the Chicago White Sox a 6-5 lead. The Dodgers then erupted for five runs in the top of the ninth, capped by a tie-breaking grand slam by Cory Sullivan, to give them a 10-6 victory.
The Dodgers sent 11 men to the plate in the top of the ninth inning, as their second game of the day lasted three hours and 39 minutes.
Sullivan's home run wasn't the only long ball of the day, as both Juan Rivera and Jerry Hairston Jr. went deep for the Dodgers. For Rivera, the home run was his second of the season.
Billingsley 'Pretty Happy' With Second Start
Billingsley wasn't as sharp as he was in his first outing, though he did strikeout three in his 2 1/3 innings."I struggled a little bit early finding my rhythm, but overall I was pretty happy," he said, adding that he was pleased with his curveball and changeup. The fastball, however, was not as sharp for Billingsley.
"Granted it's only my second time out so I'm not looking too much into it, but as far coming out [my fastball] felt pretty good," Billingsley said. "I was just missing down and off the plate. That will come the more times I get on the mound."
Billingsley gave up two hits in each of the three innings he started, but got out of it unscathed in the opening frame. He allowed one run in the second, then left with one out and runners on second and third base in the third inning.
Reliever Josh Lindblom was greeted quite rudely by White Sox catcher Tyler Flowers, who blasted a home run over the berm in left center field for a three-run home run that temporarily gave Chicago a 4-1 lead.
Notes
- Dee Gordon stole a base Saturday night, his third of the spring. So did Adam Kennedy and A.J. Ellis
- Kenley Jansen, who left practice Friday morning to get checked for an irregular heartbeat, was back on the mound Saturday night after being cleared by doctors and Dodgers trainer Sue Falsone. Jansen pitched a scoreless inning with one strikeout, and the combination of Jansen, Javy Guerra, and Scott Elbert combined for four strikeouts and no walks in three innings of relief.
- Six players pulled double duty today, playing in both games: Matt Angle, Alex Castellanos, Sullivan, Jeff Baisley, Scott Van Slyke, and Russ Mitchell
- Today's two games of hot spring training action lasted a combined six hours and 16 minutes.
Up Next
Tomorrow may be the first day of Daylight Savings Time, but the game on Sunday against the Chicago Cubs will still start at noon Pacific time. Ted Lilly gets the start for the Dodgers against Matt Garza for Chicago. Todd Coffey and Mike MacDougal are also scheduled to pitch for the Dodgers.
Tonight's Particulars
Home Runs: Juan Rivera (2), Jerry Hairston Jr. (1), Cory Sullivan (1); Tyler Flowers (1)
WP - Michael Antonini (1-0): 2 IP, 4 hits, 1 run
LP - Simon Castro (0-1): 1 1/3 IP, 6 hits, 5 runs, 1 walk, 2 strikeouts