Dodgers beat Chicago White Sox, 9-7

Dodgers 9, Chicago White Sox 7

AT THE PLATE: The middle of the lineup produced, as No. 3 hitter Andre Ethier had two hits and cleanup batter Matt Kemp blasted his team-leading fourth home run. The Dodgers won the game in a five-run eighth inning, as minor leaguers Corey Smith and Jaime Pedroza went deep. The team had 13 hits, raising their spring average to .261.

ON THE MOUND: John Ely recovered from a three-run first inning to hold the White Sox scoreless from the second inning to the fifth. Setup man Matt Guerrier was hit hard, as he gave up four runs and four hits in one inning. Guerrier, who did get the victory, has given up 12 hits in five innings this spring.

EXTRA BASES: The Dodgers have had some communication problems in the outfield lately. In the first inning of this game, Matt Kemp and Jay Gibbons halted their pursuit of a ball hit to left-center by Alex Rios, as both players appeared to think the other would retrieve it. The mistake turned a would-be single into a double and ensured Paul Konerko of scoring from second base. Manager Don Mattingly said he was confident his team would cut down on such gaffes by the start of the season, as his regulars will play more in the coming days and become increasingly used to each other.

UP NEXT: Clayton Kershaw faces the Oakland Athletics and Brett Anderson at Camelback Ranch at 1 p.m. PDT Monday. Tim Redding faces the Arizona Diamondbacks and Ian Kennedy in Scottsdale at 6:40 p.m. PDT.

ON THE AIR: TV: Athletics game: Prime Ticket; Diamondbacks game: None. Radio: Athletics game: None; Diamondbacks game: 790.