Steve Webb
CINCINNATI, OH — Freddie Freeman must be looking at that schedule for the weekend. He’s had to have had these Atlanta games circled since the beginning of the year. Whatever, the reason, he seem to be getting hot at exactly the right time for his homecoming. After a massive five-RBI night on Tuesday, he hit a homer and knocked in a pair of runs in the Dodgers’ 8-4 victory over the Reds. Starting to look like the early June doldrums are a thing of the past.
Anderson knocked around a bit, but goes five
Tyler Anderson was trying to build on his near-no-hitter from last week, and he just wasn’t quite as sharp in the early going of this one. After a 1-2-3 first inning, he had a lot of trouble getting outs in the second. Kyle Farmer and Donovan Solano hit back to back one-out doubles to get the Reds on the scoreboard, and when Anderson walked the next hitter, he was in a real pickle.
However, it looked for a hot minute like he’d squirm off the hook on a double play ball to the infield. But, after Cincinnati successfully challenged the out call at first, the inning continued. A single, an error, and a wild pitch later, and Anderson found himself in a quick 0-3 hole.
However, after the rough second inning, he kept the Reds hitters at bay until the fifth, when Albert Almora Jr. hit a solo shot. He escaped the inning with no further damage when Chris Taylor cut down Jonathan India trying to score on a sac fly from third. The throw was a thing of beauty and ended Anderson’s day on a high note. The final line for the Dodgers’ starter: 5.0 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 2 K.
Dodgers take the lead in the middle innings
Luis Castillo was the Reds’ starter in this one, and to be honest, he looked pretty good in the early going. The Dodgers started their road back in the top of the third when Will Smith drove home Trea Turner with a single. However, their big inning in this game was the top of the fifth. Gavin Lux led off and did what Gavin Lux is getting used to doing: he pounded a solid hit. But Lux smelled double out of the box and was able to beat the throw to second base.
With the leadoff man on second, good things started to happen. Trea Turner moved Luxy to third on a groundout. Then, the Dodgers just kept the line moving. Freddie Freeman drove in Lux with a solid single to center. Will Smith singled Freeman to third. After a Max Muncy walk loaded up the bases, the Dodgers got two runs without another hit. Chris Taylor got hit by a pitch to push home the Dodgers’ third run of the game. Finally, JT hit a liner to right to score Smith from third on a sacrifice fly. It was a manufactured inning. Nice to see.
Big knocks from Freddie and Trayce seal the deal
When the Reds tied it up in the bottom of the fifth on Albert Almora Jr.’s second solo homer of the series, the Dodgers had to get back to work. And that’s exactly what they did. Freddie Freeman put the Blue Crew on top for good in the top of the seventh. After getting totally jobbed on a bad strike call by the home plate umpire, Freeman took out his frustration on the very next pitch, absolutely pulverizing a pitch from reliever Ross Detwiler. It landed among the spectators in right center, and gave the Dodgers a 5-4 lead.
The Dodgers got a whole bunch of insurance in the eighth when they put another three-spot on the board, thanks to the newest addition to the Dodger dugout. Trayce Thompson didn’t want brother Klay to get all the headline this month, so after a pair of walks to put some ducks on the pond, Trayce got busy. After good at-bat, he smoked a ball to the right centerfield gap for a two-run double. Trea finished off the Reds with the Dodgers’ second sac fly of the night, making the final score 8-4.
Kersh for breakfast anyone?
The Dodgers finish up in Cincinnati with a morning matinee against the Reds. With Clayton Kershaw on the bump, the game gets underway at 9:30 am. The last time Kersh pitched one of these weird early games, he almost got a perfect game. So, you might want to “quarantine” for the day, just to be safe.
Cans of Corn…
- Gotta send some love to Will Smith, too. 3-for-5 with a home run.
- CT3 with the cannon in left!
- No hits for Trea on Wednesday, though he ripped a couple of balls to right. He’ll have to start a new hitting streak on Thursday.
- Three words. Yency. Almonte. Untouchable.
- Kimbrel pitched a scoreless ninth, but gave up a double and another ball got smoked to the Trayce Thompson at the wall in right.
- Hanser Alberto went on the paternity list. All the best to him.
- Bad news for Edwin Rios. His hamstring doesn’t seem to be healing anytime soon. He got transferred today to the 60-day IL. Ugh. Miss his bat on the bench.
