With the time to Opening Day dwindling, Walker Buehler made his third start of the spring in the Dodgers’ 9-2 victory over the Cleveland Indians in a seven-inning affair on Friday.
Buehler pitched three innings, allowing two runs and five hits, while also striking out four. The Dodgers fell behind early 2-0 on a two-RBI single by Indians outfielder Eddie Rosario.
David Price pitched in relief of Buehler, throwing three innings himself and looking sharp, only allowing one hit and a walk. Price has looked quite effective this spring, as his overall Spring numbers show nine strikeouts in six innings pitched only allowing one hit.
After falling behind two runs, the Dodgers would pour on with nine unanswered runs of their own.
Max Muncy got the run-scoring party started with a solo homer off Indians right-hander Trevor Stephan in the fifth inning. Next, Zach McKinstry singled on a ground ball back to the pitcher allowing Chris Taylor to slide in just before the tag to make it 2-2.
After a Taylor RBI single, Austin Barnes broke the game open with a three-run home run in the sixth inning, putting the Dodgers up 6-2.
Zach Reks added an RBI single in the seventh, and in his first at-bat of the Spring, Keibert Ruiz hit a two-run double to put up the Dodgers 9-2 as the offense and the rain continued to pour on against the Indians as the game was called.
The Dodgers will get the day off Saturday, but are back at it again on Sunday against the Kansas City Royals at 6:05 p.m. Pacific time.
Julio Urias will get his third start of the Cactus League Sunday.
Also, today was the confirmation of how many fans will be allowed at Dodger Stadium for the upcoming season. Several thousand Dodger fans will be allowed to celebrate the World Series Championship banner with their team. The Dodgers will be allowed to have a 20% seating capacity for the regular season, based on where conditions currently stand.
The Dodgers are currently 28 days away from their home opener against the Washington Nationals, which will be nearly a year and a half since the last time fans were allowed at Dodger Stadium for Game Five of the NLDS.
Think Blue Planning Committee 
Great strategy we have with Kaybear. We give him one at bat every 6 months or so, he gets an extra base hit and then we send him back to Venezuela where he has visa problems and has a hard time coming back.
I would sure love to know what AF’s long term plans are for him. Trade bait? Catcher/First Baseman/DH (when it comes back)? At some point in the next year or two we’re going to need a third baseman and a left fielder. We have potential candidates for those positions but Ruiz could also be used in a trade to bring in a high level replacement.
I could just wait to see how it all plays out but I want to know now……………………..today……………….right this minute.
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I figured out Kaybear and AF but I long for the days when most correspondence was in English, both verbal and written. MOST play by play dudes and analyst routinely give players initials and nicknames and use slang terms like “velo”. I just wonder if it is too hard or just not “cool” to just say Jackie Bradley, Jr instead of JBJ.
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Hey Robert, if you’re not gonna be cool you can’t play in this sandbox. 🙂
In the case of Bradley that’s a pretty big mouth full so if you have to say that name numerous times in the course of a game it’s probably just easier to use initials. That coupled with wanting to be cool and a bit of laziness. Who knows, maybe JBJ prefers JBJ.
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……..but Jeff, I have no choice; there is no other sandbox. I just want to know who or what they are talking about. I have been a baseball fan for about 65 years so most of the time I can figure it out but I really shouldn’t have to. Announcers should not assume I know their personal slang or the initials references to all the ballplayers. I worked in the medical field before I retired. Imagine if I spoke to patients in medical acronyms. “Communication” should be the goal. Peace!
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Hah! I feel your pain Robert and vow to refer to you here as Robert, not Robby R. or R-Rho or RLR. Peace.
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Inquiring minds want to know! Ruiz did not look rusty at all. They got a good day out of the catchers spot. Buehler is having what looks like location issues and his curveball is not working yet. But Price did good as did Alexander for the first time this spring. Bats came alive a little late but when they did it was Boom City.
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