Dodgers spring training 2015: Kershaw survives comebacker, Dodgers don’t survive rally.

MESA, Ariz. — Clayton Kershaw survived a scary incident in the Dodgers’ 2-1 win over the Oakland A’s. His postgame comments are above. Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said “it obviously scared all of us a little bit, but once we get out there you could tell he wasn’t totally” hurt. You can view/hear his comments here.

The starting pitching matchup between Kershaw and Oakland A’s ace Sonny Gray was predictably well pitched. J.P. Howell, Adam Liberatore and David Aardsma all pitched scoreless innings out of the bullpen.

And this is why spring training wins, losses and ties mean little. Blake Smith, an outfielder-turned-pitcher who finished last year at Double-A, was sent out for the ninth inning to protect a 2-1 lead. He did not. The A’s loaded the bases and won the game 3-2 on a two-out RBI single (after a nice double play turned by first baseman Cody Bellinger).

For the record, the Dodgers’ Cactus League record is 8-4-6. The box score is here.

Some more observations from the Dodgers’ first game of the day (the split-squad game in San Antonio begins at 5 p.m.):

Andre Ethier had three pretty good at-bats against Gray, who’s among the American League’s elite. Ethier flew out to the edge of the right field warning track on the first pitch he saw, singled cleanly to center field to lead off the fourth inning, and beat out an infield single up the middle to lead off the sixth. His Cactus League batting average is up to .290.

A.J. Ellis went 0 for 3 and struck out twice — both times looking on pitches over the inside, one by Gray and another by Barry Zito.

• Zito, a non-roster invitee, pitched three perfect innings for the A’s while striking out five. He’s a fan favorite among the green and gold set.

• Mattingly on Liberatore, who’s allowed three singles, no runs, and struck out six batters in six spring innings: “The ball comes out of his hand different … like a cannon.”

• Minor league games began Friday with the Dodgers’ Double-A and Single-A squads in action at Camelback Ranch against the Texas Rangers. The Single-A squad will begin playing games Sunday. One reason for this, I’m told, is because the minor-league roster was raided when the Dodgers split their major-league squad for games in San Antonio and Arizona Friday and Saturday.

• “Breathing Underwater” by Hiatus Kaiyote is like Memento or Inception: You won’t understand it the first time. You have to replay it, and will be rewarded when you do.