Can The Reds Meet Up With The Play Off’s??
LOS ANGELES — The Cincinnati Reds were swept by the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium, suffering their sixth loss in seven games and falling to 4.5 games behind the New York Mets in the National League wild-card race.
Reds starter Nick Lodolo, returning after a finger blister, pitched well early, retiring the first nine batters and striking out four in a row. But the Dodgers broke through in the fourth inning, scoring four runs thanks to key hits from Shohei Ohtani and others. Despite Lodolo’s solid performance, defensive lapses and timely hitting by the Dodgers led to a 5-1 loss for Cincinnati.
Manager Terry Francona urged the team to focus on the next five weeks as a chance to turn the season around, stressing resilience and learning from mistakes. Reds infielder Gavin Lux echoed this sentiment, calling the team gritty and ready to reset during an upcoming off day.
Ohtani, pitching for the Dodgers, struck out nine over five innings for his first win since August 2023, while the Dodgers’ bullpen racked up 10 more strikeouts. The Reds set a franchise record by striking out 19 times in the game.
The loss dropped Cincinnati’s record to 52-50, just two games over .500 for the first time since late July. The Reds now begin a nine-game homestand starting Friday against the St. Louis Cardinals, followed by series against the playoff-contending Toronto Blue Jays, New York Mets, and San Diego Padres.
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