The Angels fired the opening salvo of the freeway series, scoring two runs in the ninth inning to defeat the Dodgers 5-4 at Dodger Stadium. Jonathan Broxton blew the save, but the central character of the ninth inning was Ivan DeJesus. With one out and a runner on first base with the Dodgers clinging to a 4-3 lead, DeJesus booted a sure double-play ball which would have ended the game. Then, in the bottom of the frame, DeJesus lofted a flyball to right field that was simply dropped by Angel Castillo of the Angels. However, the Angels converted their double play opportunity, a game-ending 5-4-3 by Gabe Kapler, to come home victorious.
Ervin Santana allowed two runs in five innings in his final spring training start for the Angels, with two walks and five strikeouts. Ted Lilly started for the Dodgers, throwing 80 pitches in his four innings of work. But Lilly was wild, walking five Angels in his four innings.
It appears Jay Gibbons might become the fifth Dodger to begin the season on the disabled list, per True Blue LA:
Before the game, Jay Gibbons spoke with reporters about the vision problems he has battled this spring. "It’s been a battle, let’s put it that way. We ran out of time," Gibbons said. "The vision was great coming back, but no depth perception." Gibbons has another appointment on Tuesday with an eye doctor to get a new prescription, hoping to find the right combination of vision and depth perception that will allow him to hit.
The Angels and Dodgers will do battle again on Tuesday, this time in Anaheim. Hiroki Kuroda will start for the Dodgers, opposed by Scott Kazmir of the Angels.
For more news and information on tonight's game, be sure to read the SB Nation blogs True Blue LA and Halos Heaven.