Cincinnati Reds vs LA Dodgers

As the Dodgers were coming off of a winning streak on the road they put Clayton Kershaw on the hill against the Reds starting pitcher, Homer Bailey.  The Reds were 22-28 and in 4th place in the NL Central at this point in the season against the Dodgers 29-24 record and 2nd place ranking in the NL West. Tonight Kershaw threw seven innings and taking the loss for the game, striking out nine and walking only one. Bailey also threw seven innings, having six strikeouts of his own and only one walk.  Up to this game the Dodgers had won five consecutive games against the Reds at home and were 20-7 with the Reds since 2006.

The Reds started off the game with a two run home run from their third batter in the line up, Todd Fraizer, over the left field fence above the head of Matt Kemp, who was having his first start in left field that night.  Dodgers led off the bottom of the 1st inning with a promising double but never answered with runs until the 5th inning. The 2nd and third innings were fairly quiet and when the 4th inning came around Kershaw was at six strikeouts and striking out one more in the 4th bringing him up to seven for the game.

The Dodgers did something about that goose egg on the score board in the bottom of the 5th inning when, third baseman, Justin Turner scored on a wild pitch. The top of the 6th began with Frazier hitting a line drive over into left field, over Kemp's head, where he ran for a double. Kershaw had his only walk in the 6th when he walked Devin Mesoraco. As Jay Bruce was up to bat a pitch got away from Kershaw and hit the dirt before the catcher was ready for it allowing Frazier to score their final run of the game. After the 7th inning the Dodgers put in Brandon League to relieve Kershaw and Kershaw finished his time on the mound with allowing three earned runs and seven hits within his seven pitched innings.

Soon it was time to bring out the closers. The Dodgers put in Brian Wilson for the top half of the 9th where he allowed one hit and struck out Zack Cozart. The Red's closer, Aroldis Chapman, was throwing some heat as his first two pitches were clocked at 102 mph. Three of the first four pitches Adrian Gonzalez saw as he faced Chapman were clocked at 102, and the fourth was clocked at 100 mph. Chapman did his job of holding the Dodgers with only facing three batters and striking out two to end the game. The Reds won this game of the series 3-2, stopping the Dodgers from earning the sweep for the four game series.