Dodgers right-hander Dylan Floro made the first of what will (now) probably be at least two rehab outings – or more – with the team’s Advanced Single-A Rancho Cucamonga Quakes on Friday night. And while the box score reflects that he did not allow a run and had a three-pitch strikeout of the first batter he faced in his one inning of relief, he needed some help from his friends to accomplish it.

…a LOT of help.

The 28-year-old Merced, CA native and 13th-round draft pick by the Tampa Bay Rays in 2012 out of Cal State Fullerton is working his way back from neck inflammation that landed him on the 10-day Injured List on July 19. He entered Friday night’s game between the Quakes and the Stockton Ports (Athletics) in the top half of the fourth inning with neither team having put a run on the board.

Things started out great for the hard-throwing 6′-2″ / 203-pound right-hander, as he struck out Ports center fielder Lazaro Armenteros on three pitches.

Things went downhill from there, and fast.

Floro gave up back-to-back singles to Ports second baseman Trace Loehr and designated hitter Ryan Gridley and then hit catcher Robert Mullen with a pitch to load the bases and only one out. The next batter, Ports left fielder Nico Giarratano, hit a fly ball to Quakes right fielder Donovan Casey for the second out of the inning. Loehr opted to test Casey’s strong right arm by tagging up and heading for home.

Big mistake.

Casey’s throw was right on the money and Quakes catcher Stevie Berman tagged Loehr out to end the inning, thus saving Floro’s hide.

Ironically, The Quakes put up a run in their half of the fourth inning on a RBI double by Berman which, technically, made Floro the pitcher of record. However, the official scorer awarded the eventual 7-0 Rancho win to right-hander Max Gamboa, who pitched three scoreless innings of relief behind Floro and Quakes right-hander Guillermo Zuniga. Such a decision is the sole discretion of the official scorer and it’s hard to argue that Gamboa did not deserve the win, having allowed no runs and only one hit with three strikeouts in his 3.0 innings of work.

This past Tuesday, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters that the plan was for Floro to pitch one rehab inning with Rancho Cucamonga and depending on how it went, possibly two. Based on Floro’s 16-pitch (11-strike) outing on Friday, there will indeed be a second … or more.

Roberts also said that he expects Floro to rejoin the team on Monday in Denver when the Dodgers begin a three-game series with the Rockies at Coors Field. If Friday night’s outing is any indication, there is an exceptionally good chance that Floro won’t be making that trip to the Mile High City, where fly balls travel great distances and Earned Run Averages explode.

Play Ball!

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