Zack Greinke Has Shaky Start in Loss to Padres at Camelback Ranch

Dodgers 5 11 1

Padres 7 14 0

WP- Boxberger (1-0)

LP- Lee (0-1)

S- Stites

HR- Retherford  (1)

While one squad was overtaken by the Angels in a doozy of a 16-8 loss at Tempo Diablo Stadium on Friday afternoon, the other squad was unable to fend off the San Diego Padres at Camelback Ranch. Zack Greinke had a tough start as he went three innings and allowed two runs on five hits to San Diego. Matt Kemp made his Spring debut and went 0-for-2 with a groundout and a strikeout as the Dodgers’ designated hitter.

Zach Lee‘s balk in the top of the ninth innings allowed the go-ahead run to come home, and then Jeff Decker’s double brought in another run which eventually gave the Padres the 7-5 victory.

Hanley Ramirez had a good game, and the shortstop collected two hits, an RBI, and he even stole home!

The Padres pounced on Greinke early, and in the first inning they put a run on the board with back-to-back doubles from Everth Cabrera and Chris Denorfia.

The Dodgers countered by scoring twice in the bottom half of the second inning off San Diego starter Freddy Garcia. Adrian Gonzalez is hit by a pitch, and a wild pitch allows Gonzo to move over to second base. Jerry Hairston Jr. draws a walk, and Gonzalez then scores on a single by Mark Ellis. Hairston is thrown out at third on the play. A.J. Ellis doubles home the other Ellis to make it 2-1 Dodgers.

Hanley Ramirez steals home in the Dodgers loss to the Padres on Friday. Photo: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

Both teams would score a third run in the third inning. San Diego scores on more extra-base hits: a double from Nick Hundley and a triple from Jonathan Galvez. In the home half of the third, Ramirez singles and steals second. Nick Punto follows with a single, and while Gonzalez is busy striking out at the plate Ramirez steals home.

The Dodgers put up another run in the bottom of the fourth as Hanley Ramirez singles home A.J. Ellis who walked. The Dodgers are now up 4-2.

The Padres would go on to score a run in each of the next three innings. Matt Guerrier comes in for the fifth, and Nick Punto’s fielding error allows the lead-off batter Hundley to reach safely. A Galvez double and a Headley single adds another Padre run.

Stephen Fife allows two runs in two innings of work in the sixth and seventh innings. The Dodgers would tie up the game at five apiece in the bottom of the seventh off a solo homerun from C.J. Retherford.

Zach Lee’s costly balk in the top of the ninth in addition to three hits allowed in the inning by the right-hander give the Padres a 7-5 lead and win.

There was some good and bad to take away from this exhibition game. The good: Matt Kemp felt no pain or soreness after making his Cactus League debut today, and Hanley Ramirez had a couple of hits and was running the bases well. The bad: Zack Greinke and Zach Lee both had rough outings, and Nick Punto is well Nick Punto.

San Diego may be a formidable team this season, and we shouldn’t take them lightly. Do you think San Diego will be a threat in the NL West this season? Tell us in the comments.