[OOTPRealTime]

@KenRosenhaus Morales headed to Baltimore on a 3-year deal with around $21 Million. Split LY bt SEA/OAK hitting .280 w/ 24 HR and 81 RBI. #GoodGet

@MattLurchMLB Not surprised to see #Os upgrade at 1B. Steve Pearce/Travis Ishikawa weren’t going to cut it there.

Spring Training Game 8: vs. Los Angeles Dodgers

We are progressing to the point of camp that we'd like to see what we have in the players expect to move North with us. Mike said that he'd like to have three of four games in which the "starters" play the entire game. This was the first of such games. The only exception is that we're using the DH in this one to get more AB's for the guys that need them.

LINEUPS

CARDINALS (4-3)
1. Leury Garcia, SS
2. Jon Jay, CF
3. Yadier Molina, C
4. Allen Craig, 1B
5. Oscar Taveras, RF
6. Matt Holliday, LF
7. David Freese, 3B
8. Nelson Cruz, DH
9. Kolten Wong, 2B

SP: Adam Wainwright

DODGERS (5-3)
1. Carl Crawford, LF
2. Luis Cruz, SS
3. Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
4. Hanley Ramirez, SS
5. Yasiel Puig, RF
6. A.J. Ellis, DH
7. Alex Castellanos, CF
8. Tim Fedorowicz, C
9. Joey Sellers, 2B

SP: Chad Billingsley

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TIMELY HITTING ELUDES CARDS IN LOSS TO DODGERS
By: Jose Santos, St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Staying true to his plan for Spring Training, Cardinals manager Mike Matheny had his regulars out there - the entire game. This included a DH and he made no substitutions. This is normally a recipe for success. Not on this sunny day in Jupiter, Florida.

The Cardinals regulars managed eight hits off of Dodgers pitching, including starter Chad Billingsley. They also failed with 2-outs and runners in scoring position four different times. Lineup stalwarts Jon Jay, Yadier Molina, Allen Craig and Matt Holliday were the culprits. As a team, they finished with 10 left on base.

Cardinals starter Adam Wainwright battled through three and a third innings when he hit his pitch count limit for his second spring start (60). He gave up four hits, one earned run and one walk. He struck out one and gave up the only home run of the game - a solo shot to Adrian Gonzalez in the first inning. "I didn't have my best stuff and I haven't introduced my curve yet this spring. Still, I left one over the heart to their best hitter and he deposited it," Wainwright said with a slight smile. In a few weeks, when the Cardinals report for regular season duty, rest assured, there will be no smiles of any kind when discussing opponents home runs allowed.

Oscar Taveras recorded three of the Cardinals eight hits (all singles), upping his Spring batting mark to .350 (7-for-20). Jon Jay continued his early onslaught with a double and he now stands at .529 with two homers and eight RBI.

Mitchell Boggs was the most effective hurler in the game for the Redbirds. He went two and a third, gave up just one hit and struck out three to finish the pitching end for the Cardinals. Fernando Salas gave up two runs in his three and a third innings - laboring most of the way. He is battling for a spot in the bullpen. A battle that has added such names as Jhan Marinez and Rafael Dolis. When Matheny was asked after the game if the outing set Salas back, his answer was simple and direct, "Yes. Sure. Every outing is key for those guys. We are blessed with a deep bullpen and some new arms have entered that race. Everybody needs to be as sharp as possible at all times. There isn't that much time left. That said, we know Fernando. He has a track record with us."

Matheny never mentioned if that was a positive or negative for Salas.

The Cardinals will continue their Spring slate with a matchup against the Colorado Rockies. Lance Lynn will make his second Spring start in that one.