FSM Essential Recap: Dodgers vs Reds - Series 8

FSM Essential Recap: Dodgers vs Reds – Series 8

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Los Angeles Dodgers (16-9)  |  Cincinnati Reds (11-13)

 

“Losing feels worse than winning feels good.”

– Vin Scully

 

Game 3:

 

Clayton Kershaw gave a vintage performance as the Dodgers snapped their 3 game losing streak. Kershaw delivered yet another classic performance, as the Dodgers got back in the win column as they took down the Reds, 8-0.

The offense was quiet through the first seven innings. Then in the eighth, they exploded for six runs, all coming with two outs. The first run on the afternoon came in the second inning. With runners on the corners and no outs, Luke Raley grounded into the double play. More runs would have been welcomed, but the go-ahead run was still nice regardless.

An inning later, Justin Turner doubled the lead with a solo shot for his sixth home run of the season. Turner continues to have an incredible April, and now I’m pretty convinced it’s all because he gave up dairy.

The offense was very quiet the rest of the way, at least until the eighth inning. With a two-run lead, L.A. added a lot of insurance runs. All the damage came with two outs as well. With a runner on first, Chris Taylor tripled to give L.A. the three-run lead. AJ Pollock then followed with a single, giving L.A. the four-run edge.

Raley was then intentionally walked and Austin Barnes followed with a walk of his own to load the bases. Matt Beaty, who has been raking since being called back up, delivered with a two-RBI single, making the lead 6-0. Mookie Betts then stepped up to the plate, wanting to get in on the fun. He responded with a two-RBI single, giving L.A. an 8-0 lead.

 

For the game, Kershaw threw seven scoreless innings and struck out eight. It’s the 38th time in his career he’s thrown at least seven while striking out at least eight while issuing zero runs, tying him for the fifth-most in baseball history.

As impressive as it was that he kept this hot Reds lineup in check, they really couldn’t figure him out all afternoon. On Kershaw’s eight strikeouts he had 23 swings-and-misses, a new season-high for him. Out of those 23 whiffs, 22 of them were on breaking balls, which tied his career-high for the most in a single game in his career (also 2020 playoffs vs Milwaukee and in 2015 against the Giants).

The Reds put a runner on second base in the first inning and had two runners on in the third inning. Aside from that, they never really had anything going against Kershaw. His ERA for the season is now down to 2.09. It’s 1.09 in his last five games since his bad start in Colorado to begin the season.

Blake Treinen got the eighth inning and it looked as if the bullpen was on the verge of another collapse. Facing the two best hitters in Cincy’s lineup, Treinen settled down and struck out the final two batters to escape the inning untouched.

 

Game 3 Boxscore:

 

WP: Clayton Kershaw (3-1 / 2.09 ERA)

LP: Sonny Gray (0-2 / 5.93 ERA)

HR: Justin Turner (6)

 

The Dodgers will now travel to Milwaukee to take on the Brewers later this evening. Today’s starting pitchers are reigning Cy Young Award winner Trevor Bauer, and the Brewers will counter with young Eric Lauer, who will be making his season debut. The first pitch is at 4:40 PM and can be seen on SpectrumSports LA.

 

 

Game 2:

 

The Dodgers took the lead two separate times on Tuesday night, but the bullpen surrendered the lead yet again, as the Reds defeated the Dodgers 6-5. With the loss, L.A. has now lost seven of their last nine games.

Due to the Giants losing, the Dodgers remain tied for first place in the NL West.

Walker Buehler allowed a home run to Jesse Winker on the very first pitch of the game. He settled down nicely after that, as he had eight strikeouts through the first four innings. Buehler finished the game with a season-high 10 strikeouts, but got roughed up a bit. He allowed five runs on seven hits in 6 ¹⁄₃ innings of action.

The Dodgers took the lead in the fourth inning thanks to Will Smith. Justin Turner and Max Muncy (shocker) reached with a walk to begin the inning. Smith connected on his third home run of the season, sending it 425 feet to give the Dodgers a 3-1 lead.

 

Their lead was short-lived, as the Reds answered right back, scoring two runs in the top of the fifth to tie the game at three.

A two-run sixth inning put the Dodgers back on top in the sixth inning, but they could have desperately used a couple more when given the opportunity. With runners on second and third, Matt Beaty singled in two runs, giving L.A. the 5-3 edge. After Mookie Betts and Corey Seager walked, the bases were loaded with two outs for Justin Turner.

A base hit from Turner would have likely scored at least two runs, opening up the door more for the Dodgers. Instead, he swung and the first pitch and grounded out, stranding the three runners on base. Turns out, those runs that were left on base proved to be crucial.

Cincinnati began the seventh with back-to-back hits, immediately cutting L.A.’s lead down to one run. The Dodgers were one strike away from escaping the inning up a run, but Scott Alexander allowed Joey Votto to double in the tying and go-ahead run, putting the Reds ahead 6-5.

 

Game 2 Boxscore:

 

WP: Ryan Hendrix (1-0 / 0.00 ERA)

LP: Scott Alexander (0-2 / 2.79 ERA)

SV: Sean Doolittle (1)

HR: Will Smith (3) Jesse Winker (6)

 

The Dodgers and Reds finish off their 3 game series this afternoon at 1:10 pm. You can watch Clayton Kershaw face off against Sonny Gray on MLB Network and SportsNet LA.

 

Game 1:

 

What began as a sleepy Monday night at Dodger Stadium ended with a bang and the Dodgers’ second extra-innings loss in as many nights. This one was 5-3 to the Reds, thanks to a Jesse Winker home run to lead off the 10th inning.

It was the first home run of the year allowed by Jansen and the second home run Jansen has ever allowed on a two-seam fastball, per Brooks Baseball.

The Dodgers offense looked quite similar to most of the games of the previous nine days, trailing by two runs with two outs in the seventh inning, with Austin Barnes on first base. The Reds brought in southpaw Amir Garrett to face the left-handed Corey Seager, who hit his second pitch over the center-field wall to tie the game and briefly wake up the Dodger Stadium crowd.

The bulk of the damage against Julio Urías was done in the fourth, thanks to a single by Winker and a double by Nick Castellanos to lead off the inning. Urías needed 30 pitches to get through the frame, with a pair of runs scoring on outs, the first one on a ground ball, and a fly out to left field.

Two days after the first run against the Dodgers was scored by a player who covered one eye while running the bases, the first run scored against the Dodgers on Monday was by a Winker.

Castellanos was in the middle of another Reds rally in the fifth, singling home old friend Kyle Farmer, who was hit by a Urías pitch to lead off the inning. Cincinnati’s last two runs off Urías came on balls hit to left field, and the Reds were more than comfortable in testing Luke Raley’s arm.

Trailing 3-1 with his spot in the batting order due up first in the bottom of the fifth, it was a no-brainer to pull Urías after five innings, his shortest outing of the season, having thrown 87 pitches.

Though Urías left trailing, Seager’s home run took him off the hook for what could have been his first loss since Game 4 of the 2019 NLDS.

The Dodgers offense bunch their baserunners together against Reds starter Tyler Mahle, but he escaped his three jams mostly unscathed. Will Smith grounded into a double play with the bases loaded in the first, then Mahle struck out Edwin Ríos — now 4-for-42 (.095) on the season — to end the fourth and fanned Max Muncy to end the fifth.

Mahle only allowed one hit in seven at-bats with runners in scoring position. That was a Gavin Lux single in the fourth inning to drive in a run in his first game back.

With six losses in their last eight games and averaging just 2.89 runs in the last nine games, Dave Roberts remained confident in his team. “I know we’re better than we’re performing right now. Every offense goes through these kind of lulls,” he said. “We’re going to be fine. We’ve got a lot of talent.”

Tonight, Trevor Bauer, who pitched for the Reds last season, will be presented his 2020 National League Cy Young Award before the start of the game.

 

Game 1 Boxscore:

 

WP: Tejay Antone (1-0 / 0.66 ERA)

LP: Kenley Jansen(1-1 / 2.61 ERA)

HR: Corey Seager (4); Jesse Winker (5)

 

The Dodgers and Reds will face off again tonight at Chavez Ravine. Walker Buehler will face Jeff Hoffman. The first pitch is scheduled for 7:10 p.m and the game can be seen on SportsNet LA & MLB Network.

 

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Joe Arrigo

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