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Trumbo, Angels pound Dodgers in spring opener

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Mark Trumbo made an impressive spring-training debut for the Angels on Saturday, slugging a long home run in his second at-bat to help the Angels to a 4-1 win over a Dodgers’ split squad at Tempe Diablo Stadium.

The other half of the Dodgers’ roster played an afternoon game against the Giants in Scottsdale.

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Held to a single through three innings, the Angels jumped on Dodger reliever Rubby de la Rosa in the fourth when Erick Aybar lined a one-out, opposite-field single just over a leaping Juan Castro at short. An out later Trumbo drove a 1-0 pitch over the wall in right-center.

Trumbo led all minor-league players last season with 36 homers for triple-A Salt Lake.

The Angels added another run in the fifth when Peter Bourjos, on first after a fielder’s choice, moved to second on a wild pitch and scored on Reggie Willits’ single, the fifth of the Angels’ five hits on the day. The Angels added an additional insurance run in the eighth on three walks and Chris Pettit’s sacrifice fly.

The Dodgers took a 1-0 lead off Angels starter Trevor Bell in the second when Matt Kemp led off with a ground single to center, stole second, moved to third on a ground out then scored on Russell Mitchell’s fly ball to medium center.

With Manager Don Mattingly at the Dodgers’ split-squad team in Scottsdale, triple-A skipper Lorenzo Bundy managed the team in Tempe, and he and first-base coach Davey Lopes had the Dodgers running. The only two players to reach base in the first four innings both stole second.

However, Kemp’s single was the Dodgers’ only hit until Pedro Baez singled with one out in the seventh. On the mound starter Hiroki Kuroda worked a pair of scoreless innings, striking out one.

-- Kevin Baxter in Tempe, Ariz.

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