DODGERS 4, D-BACKS 4
at Phoenix
Wednesday, March 10

D-backs at the plate: Tony Abreu had a great game in the leadoff slot for Arizona, going 3-for-4 with a homer, a triple, two runs and an RBI. Conor Jackson continued his scorching spring, going 2-for-2 with an RBI. Mark Reynolds chipped in with a double. A.J. Pollock doubled in the ninth and eventually scored on a fielder's choice.

Dodgers at the plate: Andre Ethier hit a solo home run in the fourth inning, his first of the spring. Matt Kemp added an RBI triple in the sixth. Nick Green and Kyle Russell added RBI singles for the Dodgers. Rafael Furcal, A.J. Ellis, Doug Mientkiewicz and Reed Johnson added base hits.

D-backs on the mound: Starter Dan Haren lasted 2 2/3 innings and got out of it cleanly, not allowing any runs and striking out one. Bob Howry gave up one run in one inning, while closer Chad Qualls pitched a perfect frame. Zach Kroenke had a rough outing, giving up three runs on three hits in two-thirds of an inning.

Dodgers on the mound: Righty Vicente Padilla had a successful second spring outing, giving up one run on four hits in three innings while striking out four and walking one. Ramon Ortiz looked impressive, too, pitching three scoreless frames, giving up one hit, walking two and striking out three. Jeff Weaver gave up one run on a homer in his one inning of work.

Worth noting: Ethier took part in a baseball oddity, when he flied out to right field in the third inning before Kemp ended the inning with a fielder's choice. Then, in the bottom of the fourth inning, Ethier, batting out of order, led off and hit a towering solo homer to right-center. After he exited the game, Ethier explained that the original lineup card posted by the Dodgers had Ethier batting third and Kemp batting fourth, which is how the game started. However, the lineup cards submitted to the umpiring crew somehow had Kemp third and Ethier fourth. The D-backs noticed the discrepancy and alerted the umpires to it in the second inning, so after the two batted in the third, the crew chief told Ethier that he would lead off the fourth to correct the error. The home run, which Ethier hit while batting in the No. 5 slot, counted on the scoreboard, tying the score at 1, but as Ethier said of exhibition games, "The truth of it is that none of it counts."

Cactus League records: D-backs 2-5-1; Dodgers 1-3-1

Up next: The Dodgers will travel to Surprise Stadium on Thursday for a 12:05 p.m. PT game against the Royals. Right-hander James McDonald will get the start for the Dodgers and will try to improve upon his spring debut last week, when he was touched up for three runs on five hits in two innings by the White Sox. McDonald is scheduled to be followed by righties Russ Ortiz, Ramon Toncoso, Travis Schlichting and Javy Guerra and lefty Armando Zerpa. Righty Gil Meche will get the start for the Royals.

After a couple of days in the Phoenix area, the D-backs return to Tucson, Ariz., on Thursday to take on the Angels. Edwin Jackson, who has been impressive since coming over from the Tigers in a three-team blockbuster deal in December, will start. One of the contenders for the No. 5 spot in the rotation, Bryan Augenstein, is also is expected to see action.