Dodgers 5, Padres 4

Highlights:

  • In a scheduled short tune-up outing for Opening Day, Clayton Kershaw retired all 11 batters he faced (including one that reached on an error by Juan Uribe). Kershaw struck out three.
  • Dodger pitchers didn’t allow a hit until Jason Bartlett singled off Lance Cormier in the sixth inning.
  • Uribe doubled and homered, driving in four runs.
  • Jonathan Broxton hit a batter before retiring his next three, striking out one.
  • James Loney singled, walked and scored twice.

Lowlights:

  • With roster spots all but locked up, Scott Elbert gave up a homer and two singles to the four batters he faced …
  • … and then Mike MacDougal allowed both baserunners to score, giving up a single and two walks among his five batters.
  • Rafael Furcal went 0 for 3. For the spring, he has a .264 on-base percentage and .240 slugging percentage – 10 singles and a double in 50 at-bats.

Lowlights:

  • Furcal was hit by a pitch an inning after Broxton hit his batter, and both benches emptied. From The Associated Press:

    … There were no pushes, punches or ejections during the dustup in the sixth inning.“That’s just players being players,” Padres manager Bud Black said. “It was a competitive game even though it was spring training. It was good, spirited play.”

    The incident occurred after the Dodgers’ half-inning ended when Andre Ethier began shouting at the Padres dugout from the on-deck circle. Moments earlier, Furcal was hit by Padres reliever Brad Brach.

    Ryan Ludwick was struck by Broxton’s pitch in the bottom of the fifth.

    On his way back to the dugout, Ludwick stopped at home plate and began hollering at the Dodgers, but neither side got within 10 feet of each other as Black and Dodgers manager Don Mattingly broke up the dispute.

    “I’ll tell you what, I don’t mind our boys stepping up,” Mattingly said. “I don’t mind at all.” …

  • With roster spots all but locked up, Scott Elbert gave up a homer and two singles to the four batters he faced …
  • As Tony Jackson of ESPNLosAngeles.com reports, John Ely was optioned as planned – remaining a candidate to be called up for an April 12 start – and Ron Mahay was granted his release.
  • Travis Schlichting was reassigned to minor-league camp.
  • According to the Dodger press notes, Los Angeles is 13-9-1 this spring in full-squad games, which would mean they are 0-9 in split-squad games.