FSM Essential Recap: Dodgers vs Reds - Series 48

FSM Essential Recap: Dodgers vs Reds – Series 48

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Los Angeles Dodgers (96-54) |  Cincinnati Reds (77-73)

 

“Listen, if you start worrying about the people in the stands, before too long you’re up in the stands with them.”

– Tommy LaSorda

 

Game 3:

 

A potent combination of Clayton Kershaw and home runs led to an 8-5 win and the Dodgers took two of three against the Reds. It did get dramatic toward the end when the Reds made it a two-run game in the 8th inning but then the Dodgers tacked on a couple of runs in the ninth inning.

Kenley Jansen did give up a solo home run to Joey Votto but otherwise continued his recent fine pitching picking up two strikeouts in his inning of work.

Neither team had homered in the first two games but that was not the case today as the Dodgers hit three and the Reds countered with two home runs.

Will Smith started the scoring with a solo home run in the second and then minutes later, Gavin Lux drove a ball over the right-center field wall for a two-run homer.

The scoring continued in the third inning, Lux singled home the fourth run, and later that inning, Corey Seager hit a two-run homer for a 6-0 lead.

 

Meanwhile, Kershaw was on his game from the start and he struck out five in his first three innings. After giving up a run in the fourth inning, he would strike out three of his last four batters faced to finish up with five innings in the books on 74 pitches thrown.

Tony Gonsolin was not as sharp as was in his appearance. The Reds scored three runs against him in 2⅓ innings pitched. Blake Treinen did give up the last run when he came in to work out of the 8th inning Reds comeback.

The Dodgers were able to get some breathing room in the 9th, a Kyle Farmer throwing error scored one, and then Seager bringing in the last run on a bases-loaded walk.

TJ Friedl first major league hit was his home run against Gonsolin in the 6th inning. So while that will always be a treasured memory for Friedl, Mookie Betts made sure the fan who caught that ball will remember it fondly too.

Clayton Kershaw won his 10th game of the season as he works his way back from his IL stint. He’ll make his next start in Arizona next weekend.

 

Game 3 Boxscore:

 

WP: Clayton Kershaw (10-7)

LP: Wade Miley (12-7)

HR: Will Smith (25), Gavin Lux (7), Corey Seager (10), TJ Friedl (1), Joey Votto (31)

 

The Dodgers will continue their road trip with a three-game series against the Rockies. Julio Urías is scheduled to start the first game at Coors Field on Tuesday. The first pitch is at 5:40 on SportsNet LA.

 

 

Game 2:

Gavin Lux wasn’t even expected to start this weekend, but he was back in the lineup and continued to seize his opportunity, helping the Dodgers to a 5-1 win over the Reds on Saturday afternoon in Cincinnati.

Lux was scratched from Friday’s lineup after getting hit by a pitch on the right forearm from a pitching machine. Manager Dave Roberts said Friday night that Lux would likely be only available off the bench the rest of the weekend. But there he was, playing left field and hitting seventh on Saturday.

“Quick healer,” Roberts said.

It took some time for the Dodgers offense to get in gear against Sonny Gray, who retired his first 11 batters faced. The game was scoreless into the fifth when Justin Turner led off with a double. Chris Taylor reached on an infield single and moved into scoring position on a bad throw from third baseman Mike Moustakas.

Lux followed with a liner down the right-field line to score both runners, and his speed took him to third base for a triple. He scored on a tapper in front of the plate by Austin Barnes.

After rehabbing his hamstring injury, Lux was the odd man out for a Dodgers lineup that was back at full strength in late August. Optioned to the minors in a roster crunch, Lux added outfield to his bag of tricks, which proved useful when he was recalled last week after injuries to AJ Pollock and Billy McKinney.

Since returning, Lux has been written into the lineup in left field in all eight games, only missing Friday night’s game with the forearm injury. Lux has reached base in all but one of those games, going 8-for-20 (.400) with four walks, five runs scored, and five RBI.

 

As you might imagine, that was more than enough offense for Max Scherzer, who continued his romp through the National League while wearing a Dodgers uniform.

 

Game 2 Boxscore:

 

WP: Max Scherzer (15-4)

LP: Sonny Gray (7-8)

SV: Kenley Jansen (34)

 

Clayton Kershaw starts the series finale this morning with Tony Gonsolin expected to pitch in relief at some point in the game. Left-hander Wade Miley starts for the Reds. The game will start at 10:10 and be seen on SportsNet LA, TBS.

 

 

Game 1:

 

The Dodgers on Friday got a glimpse of the danger of a potential one-game playoff, shut down by a buzzsaw starting pitcher and done in by timely hitting. It was Luis Castillo and old friend Kyle Farmer, respectively, fueling the Reds’ 3-1 victory in the series opener at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati.

Castillo pitched into the seventh inning and struck out 10, just the seventh pitcher this season to whiff double digits against the Dodgers.

Mookie Betts doubled to lead off the first, but Castillo stranded him with strikeouts of Max Muncy and Trea Turner then, after a walk to Corey Seager, a groundout by Justin Turner to exit the frame. Both strikeouts in the first inning ended on the changeup, a pitch that was working all night for Castillo.

He got 11 swings and misses on the pitch, and finished off seven of his 10 strikeouts with the changeup. Castillo didn’t allow a run.

The Reds got their leadoff double in the fifth, from Farmer, now a shortstop and Cincinnati’s No. 6 hitter. They wasted little time, with catcher and seventh hitter Tucker Barnhart singling him home for the first run of the game against Walker Buehler.

Cincinnati threatened again in the sixth, and with two on and two out, Farmer doubled off Buehler again, this time scoring a pair of insurance runs that seemed so much larger with Castillo on the mound.

Farmer is hitting .307/.343/.497 in 51 games since the All-Star break.

If the Cardinals hold on to beat the Padres on Friday, St. Louis would maintain a one-game lead over the Reds for the second wild-card spot. That’s a three-team battle along with the Padres that could last into the season’s final weekend.

 

In the National League West, the Dodgers fall 1½ games back of the Giants, who are hosting the Braves in San Francisco.

“I don’t think we needed any reminders of how important every game is. We’re trying to win every game,” manager Dave Roberts said. “It just didn’t happen tonight. We know what’s at stake every day.”

Gavin Lux was originally penciled into the lineup in left field Friday, for what would have been his seventh straight start at the position. But he was scratched just before the game with a right forearm injury.

Lux was hit by a pitch from a pitching machine during pregame batting practice. X-rays taken during the game were negative, but he’s not expected to start Saturday or Sunday. Roberts said Lux might be available off the bench over the weekend.

Matt Beaty got the start instead on Friday, his first major league start in exactly one month. He had two hits, including driving in the Dodgers’ only run of the night with a ninth-inning single against Michael Lorenzen.

 

Game 1 Boxscore:

 

WP: Luis Castillo (8-15)

LP: Walker Buehler (14-4)

SV: Michael Lorenzen (4)

 

Max Scherzer gets the call in the day game after the night game on Saturday morning with Sonny Gray — the first pitcher to strike out 10+ Dodgers in a game this season — starting for the Reds. Teh first pitch is at 11:10 and can be seen on SportsNet LA.

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– Joe Arrigo

Follow Joe on Twitter @JoeArrigo

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