It was polar opposite day at the ballpark. Tyler Mahle started for the Reds. He is 0-for-2019 with an 0-5 record. Walker Buehler started for the Los Angeles Dodgers. He is everything for 2019 at 4-0.
Mahle is from Dodger country; Orange County California. Buehler is from Reds country having been born, raised and is still a resident of Lexington, Kentucky.
The winner today?
The law of averages. The Reds beat the Dodgers for the first time in five tries, 4-0.
Jesse Winker snapped Buehler's string of strikeouts at three with a home run blast to the grassy knoll in center field. His 10th home run, leading off the second inning, was his first home run since May 5. It was just his fourth hit in 29 at bats.
"I can't say enough about the way Tyler prepared for that lineup," David Bell said. "He deserved a win without question."
Mahle was in trouble in each of the first three innings. He pitched out of a nasty third inning jam with two on and one out. He walked Joc Pederson and Cody Bellinger surrounding a 3-2 strike out of Max Muncy. He got Corey Seagar to hit into a force out and Alex Verdugo to fly to right.
"That is a tough lineup. We had a game plan and stuck with it," Mahle said. "You can't let up against them."
Mahle pitched into the seventh inning in his last start against San Francisco. Leading 4-2 with a man on and two outs, Bell let him pitch to Brandon Belt. Mahle missed with a pitch over the plate and Belt crushed it for a game-tying home run that cost Mahle the win. The Giants won the game 6-5.
"Part of the game plan today was if I miss, I wanted to miss up or in and not over the heart of the plate," Mahle said. "That was the difference today."
Mahle watched as Anthony DeSclafani struggled with the tough left-handers in the Dodgers lineup, Joc Pederson, Max Muncy, Cody Bellinger, Corey Seagar and Alex Verdugo.
"I learned a little bit from watching Anthony but mostly it was sticking to the game plan," Mahle said.
The Reds took advantage of a throwing error by Seagar at shortstop to score three unearned runs in the third. Tucker Barnhart and Nick Senzel opened the inning with singles. Joey Votto hit a ground ball into the hole at short. Seagar, throwing across his body threw past Chris Taylor. Barnhart scored. Senzel went to third and Votto to second. Buehler nearly stopped the damage right there. Eugenio Suarez popped up to the infield. Winker struck out. Yasiel Puig came through with the big hit. He dumped a single to center to put the Reds up, 4-0.
Mahle pitched six scoreless innings, leaving with a 4-0 lead and the game in the hands of the Reds' hot bullpen.
"We have a lot of confidence in our guys," said Bell of the relievers. "Once Tyler got us to that point we felt good about the game. We are finding ways to get better."
The Reds bullpen came into the game leading the National League relievers with a 3.16 ERA. They are responsible for the Reds leading the ERA as a staff with a 3.38 mark. The starters are third in the NL with a 3.53 ERA. Mahle caused it to drop to 3.38.
David Hernandez came in to pitch to the bottom of the Dodgers' order in the seventh. The Dodgers bats were silent in the inning.
Amir Garrett came on to deal the with potent left-handed part of the Dodgers line up in the eighth. He gave up a single to the National League's leading hitter with a .409 batting average. Garrett struck out Max Muncy, Seagar and Alex Verdugo.
Raisel Iglesias entered in the ninth in a non-save situation. His scoreless inning completed the Reds' sixth shutout.
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