Dodgers get series finale Red-emption
by Rowan Kavner
Seventh time’s a charm.
The Dodgers avoided their first ever season series sweep by Cincinnati with an offensive barrage in the middle innings of Wednesday’s 8–1 win against the Reds, who had won the previous six matchups between the teams this year.
“These guys had our number all year,” said manager Dave Roberts. “Credit to those guys. … Just to get out of here with a win, with where we were at, is a good thing.”
Despite dropping two of three games in the series, the Dodgers left Cincinnati trailing by only a game in the division with an important four-game series against the Wild Card-contending Cardinals coming up to end a 10-game road trip.
Wednesday’s victory started like the previous couple games with the Reds striking first, but the Dodgers struck for eight unanswered runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings.
Ross Stripling, in his first start since Aug. 9, allowed the first three Reds batters to reach but retired nine of the next 10 batters he faced.
“Definitely a little rusty,” Stripling said. “Started off walk, homer, base hit. Kind of settled in after that.”
He was supposed to go three innings and ended up going 3 1/3, allowing one run with four strikeouts. The effort might earn him another start Sunday on short rest in St. Louis, though that spot in the rotation is not yet finalized.
The day went the opposite way for Reds starter Anthony DeSclafani, who retired the first nine Dodger batters before Joc Pederson hit a solo homer for the second straight day to tie the game in the fourth inning.
Later in the inning, Yasmani Grandal followed a two-out single by Max Muncy with a deep drive to right field. A child reached over the wall and caught the ball. Despite the fan interference, Muncy was given a run on the play and the Dodgers were given their first lead of the series.
They’d pour on from there.
Justin Turner’s two-run single in the fifth inning broke the game open and started a four-run inning that included the second of three run-scoring hits on the day from Grandal.
“It seems like every night I’m praising JT for his at-bats and big hits,” Roberts said.
Both Grandal and Yasiel Puig finished with three-hit days. It was Grandal’s first multi-hit game of the month and the second for Puig.
“Obviously we’re going into a series that’s very important for us,” Grandal said to SportsNet LA’s Alanna Rizzo. “You want to end this series on a good note.”
The Dodger bullpen kept the Reds scoreless for the final 5 2/3 innings.
Dylan Floro threw another scoreless innings against his former team and hasn’t been charged with a run in any of his last 11 appearances. Since his most recent call-up Aug. 21, Pat Venditte has thrown seven scoreless innings in seven appearances. Zac Rosscup now has five straight scoreless appearances, while Josh Fields threw 1 1/3 scoreless innings Wednesday.
Despite a seven-run lead, the victory was finished off by Kenley Jansen, who threw a perfect ninth after being off for a week. The work should help him feel ready for an important weekend in St. Louis.
