Friday, May 24, 2024
Copyrighted by Sarah Morris, 2024
The Los Angeles Dodgers started a six-game road trip on a humid Friday night at Cincinnati. The Dodgers’ offense woke up, but their pitching couldn’t find the strike zone. The last place Cincinnati Reds defeated the Dodgers 9-to-6.
Mookie Betts opened the game with a single, but Shohei Ohtani hit into a force play. The Dodgers stranded Ohtani.
James Paxton walked the lead-off hitter and third. He couldn’t find the strike zone. He gave up a three-run homer with one out in the first. The Dodgers needed to have a great start by Paxton to begin the six-game road trip. After the home run, Paxton seemed to settle down, but the Reds are a lousy offensive team with their magnitude of injuries.
Teoscar Hernández walked to open the second. Gavin Lux had an infield single. A wild pitch moved up both runners. Chris Taylor doubled in Hernández and Lux. Andy Pages singled, and Taylor moved to third. Betts doubled in Taylor and moved Pages to third. Ohtani’s grounder scored Pages.
Paxton allowed a double with an out in the second inning. He also allowed a bunt single. Friday didn’t seem to be Paxton’s night. With the humidity, Paxton wouldn’t last long unless he got more efficient. He escaped from the jam in the second inning without the Reds scoring.
With one out in the third, Hernández doubled, but the Dodgers stranded him.
In the third, Paxton was helped out by Will Smith’s ability to catch a stealer.
While Betts doubled, the Dodgers didn’t score any runs in the fourth.
Paxton hurled a scoreless fourth against the Reds who lost 20 out of 26 games.
In the fifth, Smith blasted a solo home run. A pitch hit Hernandez. Another pitch hit Taylor. The Dodgers didn’t score any more runs in the fifth.
Paxton allowed another solo homer in the fifth. With two outs in the fifth, Yohan Ramirez relieved Paxton and hit the batter. Ramirez was wild and loaded the bases with a walk. He walked in the tying run.
To relieve Ramirez, Alex Vesia allowed a grand slam.
The Dodgers do nothing in the sixth.
Vesia continued pitching in the sixth and didn’t allow a run.
Freddie Freeman walked in the seventh, but the Dodgers didn’t score.
Michael Grove pitched the seventh, and Smith committed an error.
Three walks to the Dodgers brought the tying run, but the Dodgers didn’t score.
Elieser Hernández pitched a scoreless eighth.
Hernández hit his twelfth home run on the season.
