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Dodgers at Rockies, 1:10 p.m.
Joc Pederson, CF
Chase Utley, 2B
Andre Ethier, LF
Scott Van Slyke, RF
Kiké Hernandez, SS
A.J. Ellis, C
Cody Bellinger, 1B
Charlie Culberson 3B
Clayton Kershaw, P

By Jon Weisman

Charlie Culberson, Elian Herrera and Brandon Hicks, whose roles as reserves could increase over the next two weeks of Spring Training – if not Opening Day – while Corey Seager recovers from his strained left knee, each enjoyed spotlight moments Saturday for the twice-victorious Dodgers.

In a pair of topsy-turvy games Saturday, the Dodgers scored the winning runs in the bottom of the ninth against the Cubs and in the top of the 10th against the Mariners.

Trailing Chicago 5-4 heading into their last licks, the Dodgers got walks from minor-leaguers Willie Calhoun, Kyle Farmer and Cody Bellinger. Culberson then walked to drive in the tying run, and Hicks was hit by a 3-2 pitch to bring home the winning run.

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Hicks was apparently destined to have the game-winning RBI. Earlier, he had an RBI single in the eighth inning to give Los Angeles a 4-3 lead.

Herrera, meanwhile, went singled, hit a two-run homer and scored three runs in the win over Seattle. Rob Segedin, another non-roster player making an impression, hit his third Cactus League homer with Jack Murphy aboard to break a 4-4 10th-inning tie.

Kiké Hernandez, who started at shortstop against the Mariners, went 0 for 3. His understudy for the night, minor-leaguer Brandon Trinkwon, singled and tripled in three at-bats.

Roberts couldn’t say for certain Saturday whether Seager would be ready for Opening Day, but for his part, Seager was relieved the injury wasn’t worse, telling SportsNet LA’s Alanna Rizzo that he was “incredibly relieved” he wouldn’t have to have surgery, based on how his knee felt.

Also of note:

  • Brandon Beachy, a candidate for the starting rotation, threw three shutout innings against the Cubs. He pitched around doubles in the first and second innings, and retired the final batters he faced. “He threw well,” Roberts told Ken Gurnick of MLB.com. “Every time he goes out there, from the bullpen to each game, he continues to get better. His pitches were sharper today. Just another positive outing.”
  • Starting at catcher against the Cubs, Austin Barnes hit his third home run of the week.
  • Replacing Alex Wood as the starting pitcher against Seattle, Carlos Frias allowed a pair of second-inning runs in a three-inning outing. He walked none and struck out three.
  • Ross Stripling pitched two shutout innings to maintain his 0.00 March ERA.
  • Red Patterson, battling back from Tommy John surgery, entered the Seattle game with the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the ninth, winning run on third base, and got a strikeout and flyout to keep the Dodgers alive.
  • Before the games, Yaisel Sierra threw live batting practice for the first time as a Dodger, reports J.P. Hoornstra of the Daily News.