Los Angeles Dodgers starter Hiroki Kuroda permitted his first runs of the preseason in his team's 20-6 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday. Kuroda, who moved to the majors from the Hiroshima Carp in a free-agent deal in the offseason, allowed three runs — one unearned — on five hits in two innings. It was the first time he gave up any runs in his third start this spring. "I didn't feel that I got hit that badly," Kuroda said. "My shuuto (shootball) had good movement. I was able to get ahead in the count against right-handed batters on foul balls and struck out a left-handed batter swinging." Kuroda struck out two and walked none. Chicago Cubs minor league reliever Shingo Takatsu gave up two runs in the ninth inning in a come-from-behind "sayonara" 7-6 defeat to the Oakland Athletics in a game featuring split squads at Phoenix.
