Dodgers 10, Angels 8: Postgame thoughts.

Howie Kendrick fell a triple short of the cycle Thursday, which would be less impressive if:

a) he hadn’t singled, doubled and homered off major-league starters Clayton Kershaw and Ted Lilly;
b) Kershaw hadn’t also struck out seven batters in three innings.

Kershaw said after the game that his location was erratic. That was never more true than when Kendrick was in the batter’s box against the two-time National League ERA champ. His fifth-inning home run against Lilly was his first of the spring and it was a bomb, landing on the top of a grassy knoll just left of center field in a deep ballpark — Camelback Ranch is 420 feet to straightaway center and Kendrick’s ball definitely traveled farther.

That was the only Angel home run of the game. Kendrick had three of the 12 hits, and nine other players had one each. Here are a few more notes:

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Josh Hamilton seems very comfortable here. As in, ‘Here Josh, use my bat’ comfortable.

Josh Hamilton

For his first day playing a game in an Angels uniform, Josh Hamilton did not bring enough bats.

Hamilton had three bats when the day began Tuesday. He broke one in batting practice. The other two broke in the game. When he looked down to see a crack in his lumber after fouling a pitch off in the fifth inning, at least he had a contingency plan in place.

“I told (Mark Trumbo) before the game, If I break one I’m going to come and get yours,” Hamilton said.

The bat broke, and Trumbo obliged.

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Angels’ Peter Bourjos is a walking machine.

Peter Bourjos made an out Tuesday. Twice. So he’s human after all.

Equally impressive to his 1.000 on-base percentage coming into the game, three of his five times on base came as a result of walks. Peter BourjosBourjos’ .301 OBP in his first three seasons leaves something to be desired for a player with his speed. The Angels want Bourjos on the bases as much as possible.

“I think walks are just a function of good plate discipline as a player develops,” manager Mike Scioscia said. “A pitcher has to cooperate when you’re drawing a walk. You can’t just go up there and take pitches where all of a sudden you’re drawing a walk. There’s a balance of having that aggressiveness, ready to hit with an understanding of the strike zone. If a walk’s there, you’re going to embrace it and take it. I think for young players who try to force a walk you see a lot of 0-2 counts transpire.”

Scioscia has been quick to offer up Bourjos’ limited playing time last season as a crutch for a slow offensive start. So far Bourjos hasn’t needed the crutch and that may be a testament to his off-season preparation. His speed certainly hasn’t suffered.

“Peter had kind of a lost year last year on the offensive side because he didn’t get the looks that he wanted or needed,” Scioscia said, “but he kept himself sharp and he’s worked very hard in the winter to try to bring that swing that he had a couple years ago where he had a good offensive year in this game and it looks lie he’s seeing the ball very well. He’s showing some patience, he’s getting some good hitting counts. I think it is a small sample obviously, but he looks comfortable in the box now. That will hopefully push him to contribute on the offensive side because we know what an incredible defender he is.”

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Cubs 11, Angels (SS) 2: Postgame thoughts.

Associated Press

TEMPE, Ariz. — Jerome Williams knows his place on the Los Angeles Angels’ pitching staff. His job is to be ready for any role necessary.

Making his first spring training start since 2007, Williams allowed a home run to Luis Valbuena but little else Saturday as an Angels split squad was beaten 11-2 by the Chicago Cubs.

“I got the first homer out of the way,” Williams said. “It was a curve. (Valbuena) had to go down to get it and he did.”

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