ST Game #5: Indians Fall in Goodyear to the Dodgers 6-5

For the first time in spring play the Cleveland Indians are under .500 as they fell at home in Goodyear on Thursday to the Los Angeles Dodgers by a final of 6-5.

The Dodgers put up three runs in the first and two more in the third in building a 5-0 lead. They added another run in the fifth inning to take a 6-0 lead before Indians bats finally got going.

Los Angeles got to Indians starter Jefry Rodriguez in the first inning for three runs on a three-run blast by Dodgers second basemen Kike Hernandez.

On the day Rodriguez went an inning allowing three runs on one hit, with two walks and one strikeout to take the defeat to fall to 0-1.

Dodgers starter Tony Gonsolin went two innings for Los Angeles to earn the win, he allowed one hit and struck out three in the two innings he threw.

At the Plate: Indians bats finally got going in the sixth inning, as Domingo Santana tripled in a pair of runs after back-to-back singles from Francisco Lindor and Jose Ramirez.

Santana went 1-for-3 with a pair of runs batted in. Lindor went 2-for-3 with a double, and Ramirez went 1-for-3.

Local product Mitch Longo from Mayfield, Ohio came through with a single in the seventh and came around to score the Indians third run of the day.

Logon went 2-for-2 with a double and run scored. Bobby Bradly who played at first base for the Tribe went 1-for-1 with a run scored a homer and two runs batted in.

Bradley hit his first spring homer in the eighth, a two-run shot that closed it to 6-5.

On the Mound: Rodriguez’s command came into question again just like it did during last year when he got a couple starts at the Major League level.

He walked two in the first inning, and then grooved one into Hernandez who blasted a three-run homer to put the Dodgers up quickly.

Rodriguez will continue to get chances but he’s got to get better when it comes to beating himself, and he did it again Thursday.

James Hoyt threw a scoreless second, and then Nick Wittgren gave up two runs, one earned, on a hit in the third.

Anthony Gose allowed a run on two hits in the fifth inning in his one inning of work. Overall the Indians throwers walked seven, struck out eight, and gave up six runs on six hits.

Other Stuff: Longo is a great story for the Indians being a local product that has taken advantage of his chances.

In five games he’s gone 4-for-5 (.800) with two doubles and two runs scored.

The Tribe put up 10 hits and two walks in the loss, but struggled with runners in scoring position, going just 1-for-8 and leaving seven men on base.

Lindor going 2-for-3 is hitting .500 this spring, and Ramirez going 1-for-3 is hitting .556.

The Indians will hit the road on Friday to take on the Chicago White Sox at Camelback Ranch. Lefty Logan Allen goes for the Tribe against righty Paul Blackburn. First pitch is at 3:05pm EST.