Dodgers P Kazmir exits game with side tightness

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Scott Kazmir left Monday’s game against Colorado near Scottsdale after his first pitch of the second inning due to tightness on his left side.

The 33-year-old left-hander said he was tight in his hip, side and rear through the pregame bullpen and the first inning, and told pitching coach Rick Honeycutt about it between innings.

“I couldn’t fire my backside, so there was no power, no direction, and it’s a tough way to pitch,” Kazmir said. “It’s something where you scratch your head because we’ve been on it constantly.”

He was 10-6 with a 4.56 in 26 last starts last season, his first with the Dodgers, struggling with mechanics and flexibility because of injuries.

“The frustration is through the roof right now,” said Kazmir, who was making his second spring training start. “I’ve been dealing with this for a while now. With all the treatment and exercises I do and to be in this spot right now is definitely a head scratcher.”

Israel upsets South Korea 2-1 in WBC opener: Scott Burcham’s runscoring infield single in the 10th inning led Israel to a 2-1 upset win over South Korea on Monday in the World Baseball Classic opener.

With a victory over Taiwan on Tuesday night, Israel would be in good position to advance to the second round.

Tyler Krieger’s bases-loaded walk from Won-Jun Chang forced home Nate Freiman with a second-inning run, but South Korea tied the score in the fifth on Seo Geong-chan’s RBI single against Jeremy Bleich, which scored Kim Jae-ho.

Ike Davis began the go-ahead rally with a one-out walk in the 10th off Chang-Yong Lim and took third on Ryan Lavarnway’s single. Tyler Krieger popped out on a bunt and Burcham, a 23-year-old in the Colorado Rockies’ organization, hit a three-hopper up the middle that Geon-Chang Seo gloved with a sliding stop. The second baseman had no play as pinch runner Mike Meyers scored on the infield hit.

Winner Josh Zeid struck out two in a perfect 10th. Starter Jason Marquis allowed two hits in three scoreless innings.

First-round games also are being played in Miami, Tokyo and Guadalajara, Mexico. Second-round games will be in San Diego and Tokyo, while the championship round is at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles from March 20-22.

Reds claim Christian Walker off waivers from Braves: The Cincinnati Reds claimed first baseman Christian Walker off waivers from the Atlanta Braves on Monday, bringing him to his third organization in two months.

Walker, 25, has spent most of his time in the minors. He appeared in 13 games for Baltimore from 2014-15, going 4 for 27 with a solo homer. The Braves claimed him off waivers last month.

To make space on their 40-man roster, the Reds designated reliever Jumbo Diaz for assignment. Diaz, 33, has pitched for the Reds each of the last three seasons. He went 1-1 with a 3.14 ERA in 45 games last year.

Mariachi surprise: Mariners OF Martin serenaded on birthday: A mariachi band was there to serenade Leonys Martin after he arrived in the Seattle Mariners’ clubhouse on his 29th birthday.

The four-member band then remained the outfielder’s constant companion throughout morning workouts Monday, filling the air on the back fields at the spring training complex with lively music.

And if the accompanying band wasn’t enough to draw attention to Martin, there was the huge sombrero he wore while taking some swings in the batting cage, catching flyballs and doing some running drills.

Martin said it was an amazing feeling to have teammates set up the surprise for him.

Asked who was primarily responsible, Martin smiled when he mentioned Felix Hernandez, the standout pitcher who then came up from behind strumming on one of the instruments.

Martin said it was a birthday he will never forget.

Rangers 3B Beltre says he’ll play WBC for Dominican Republic: Texas Rangers third baseman Adrian Beltre says he will play for the Dominican Republic in the first round of the World Baseball Classic.

The five-time Gold Glove winner said Monday in the Rangers’ spring training clubhouse that he feels better after playing some exhibition games. The 37-yearold Beltre missed the first week of games for Texas because of a strained left calf, an injury he suffered when working out before reporting to camp.

The Dominican Republic plays its first WBC game on Thursday in Miami.

— Wire services