Dodgers Survive Late Reds Rally Drop Ninth Straight

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The Reds went to Los Angeles two weeks high on life.

The Reds swept arch rivals the St. Louis Cardinals in four straight and were just one game away from the .500 mark.  They were within two games of the top spot in the NL Central Division.

The Dodgers greeted them with a 7-2 loss and the Reds haven’t won since.  The Dodgers took all three games in Los Angeles.  The Padres beat the Reds in three.  The Reds returned home and the Dodgers were all over them, completing a season sweep with an 8-7 loss that the Reds made close with a late rally.

"We were able to push our way back in the game," Bryan Price said. 'It looked like it was going to be a runaway game.  No one wants to talk about the effort but I do. It shows we're not giving up.  Take you hats off to the Dodgers.  They really won the game.  They made the plays to win."

Bronson Arroyo, the sentimental favorite of fans and teammates, struggled in his shortest outing of the season.  Arroyo has 14 starts.  He has pitched into the sixth inning, seven times completing six four times.

"I think it's a combination of things with Bronson," Price said. "His velocity was down again. This isn't the guy we know. He's just battling, battling, battling. I have such admiration for Bronson. He gave us starts that we've had to have. Our young guys just aren't ready."

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Arroyo struck out the Dodgers in order in the first inning.  He got the first two outs in the second, then the roof fell on him.  The bottom of the lineup got to him for three runs.  Austin Barnes singled with two out.  Kike Hernandez doubled.  Dodger starting pitcher, Kenta Maeda hit a double just inside the leftfield line to score both runners.  Joc Pederson drove Maeda home with a single.

 Maeda breezed through the Reds in order for three innings.

Logan Forsythe extended the Dodgers lead by getting to Arroyo with a two-run home run.

The Reds batted in the fourth trailing 5-0

Billy Hamilton singled to open the frame. Hamilton stole his 29th base and Joey Votto drew a one-out walk.  Duvall’s sharp single to left loaded the bases.  Scott Schebler was credited with an RBI by getting hit with a pitch.  Eugenio Suarez hit a low line drive to Yasiel Puig in rightfield.  The Cuban exile picked it off his shoe top.  Votto failed to tag and didn’t score.

Maeda, who was on base twice, was finished after five innings.

Wandy Peralta has been pitching well without notice.  This time TV camers caught a two-out, three-run home run by Justin Turner.  It was his third of the season,

Trailing 8-1, reliever Grant Dayton was touched by Duvall’s 16th home run.

Scooter Gennett hit his eighth home run with two on off Josh Fields in the seventh to tighten the game.  Duvall walked after Votto pushed Pedeerson to the warning track in centerfield.  Luis Avilan came in to pitch to Scott Schebler, who is second in the league with 18 home runs.  Schebler flied to center to end the inning.

Suarez hit his 11th home run, leading off the eighth against Pedro Baez.  Arismendy Alcantara followed with a double.  Tucker Barnhart hit a hard line drive right to the shortstop, Hamilton doubled for his third hit of the game, becoming the tying run.  Gennett walked. Votto stepped in to face Baez. Votto hit a drive that leftfielder Hernandez

"The last two and a half years, we played this game a lot," Price said.  "The ball was absolutely killed by Barnhart. He would have been up against the wall with the bases loaded. Then the ball that Votto hit. Hernandez makes the play of the year."

Kenley Jansen retired the Reds in order for his 15th save.