Walker Buehler allows 3 home runs in Freeway Series opener against Angels

The long ball was prevalent in the Freeway Series opener on Sunday night in Anaheim. But all three home runs in the game were hit by the Angels, 5-1 winners over the Dodgers.

Walker Buehler allowed three home runs in final spring tuneup on Sunday. The first came in the first inning, a three-run shot by Taylor Ward two batters after a potential third out was nearly tracked down by Chris Taylor before deflecting off his glove.

Shohei Ohtani and Anthony Rendon added solo laser blasts in Buehler’s final frame, in a three-batter span. Besides allowing five runs, Buehler did stretch out to five game innings, throwing 85 pitches.

Things could have been worse for Buehler, who also gave up two long fly balls to the wall off the bat of Mike Trout. A 401-foot barrel to center field was tracked down by Cody Bellinger in the first, then a 370-foot flyout to left field into the waiting glove of Taylor, the latter causing both Trout and Buehler to laugh as Trout made his way across the diamond on his way back to the home dugout.

Notes

• David Price made his second game appearance this spring, pitching a scoreless sixth.
• Chris Taylor and Gavin Lux each had two hits. The rest of the Dodgers were hitless in 24 at-bats.
• Jose Ramos, the 21-year-old minor league outfielder from Panama, made a nice leaping catch at the right field wall in the eighth inning.
• Dontrelle Willis made his SportsNet LA debut on Sunday, featured on both the pregame and postgame shows.

Sunday particulars

Home runs: Taylor Ward, Shohei Ohtani, Anthony Rendon

WP — Noah Syndergaard: 5 IP, 2 hits, 1 run, 1 walk, 7 strikeouts

LP — Walker Buehler: 5 IP, 5 hits, 5 runs, 1 walk, 4 strikeouts

Up next

The Freeway Series shifts to Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles for the final two games. Julio Urías starts for the Dodgers on Monday night (6:10 p.m.; SportsNet LA, Bally Sports So Cal). Left-hander José Suarez starts for the Angels.