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Dateline: 1,209 Kilometers from the Gulf of Mexico
The Los Angeles Dodgers rallied late to hand the Reds a 5-4 loss to clinch the series.
The Dodgers banged out 11 hits but the at bats that hurt the Reds the most were two walks to .195 hitting Michael Conforto.
"Walking Conforto wasn't ideal," Terry Francona said. "Then they got the two short hits and it snowballed on us."
Nick Lodolo was coming off a complete game shutout of the Washington Nationals. The Los Angeles Dodgers are in another category.
With a lineup that included four all-stars in its first five batters and Louisville Cardinal alumn, Will Smith hitting .324 coming into the game, Lodolo had a more difficult challenge.
Lodolo struck out Mookie Betts, Shohei Ohtani and Smith in order in the first inning.
Freedie Freeman singled to start the second. Two strikeouts later, pesky Tommy Edman hit his 12th home run of the season into the Dodgers bullpen.
Los Angeles had runners on in the next three innings but Lodolo struck out six more, including Ohtani three times.
"Once I got to two strikes, I was able to throw the breaking ball down," Lodolo said. "I was going right after him. I was able to throw a couple heaters in good spots, then I was able to spin the ball and get some chase from Ohtani."
In the mean time, the Reds found their stroke against LA starter Tyler Glasnow. Austin Hays walked and Jake Fraley tied the game with his sixth home run. Noelvi Marte put the Reds ahead with his seventh home run of the season.
The Reds tacked on another run in the fifth. Jose Trevino doubled. Gavin Lux and Matt McLain walked to load the bases. Elly De La Cruz hit a slow roller to third. Edman could only get a forces at second. The Reds reloaded the bases with one out Hays beat out a swinging bunt in front of the plate against Jack Dryer. Pinch hitter flied out to shallow right. Lux had to hold. Ben Casparius struck out Spencer Steer to end the threat.
Lodolo grounded out to open the top of the sixth. Terry Francona relieved Lodolo with Scott Barlow. Teoscar Hernandez doubled but Barlow retired the next two batters.
Lodolo pitched 5 1/3 innings allowing two runs on six hits and a walk. He struck out 11, one short of his career high.
"He really competed," Francona said. "His pitch count got high because they made him work."
Graham Ashcraft entered in the center. He struck out Miguel Rojas to start but walked pinch hitter Michael Conforto. Betts dumped a single in front of Connor Joe in right. Ohtani struck out for the fourth time. Smith singled to score Conforto. Freeman tied the game with his third hit. Hernandez left two runners on with a ground out to second.
Tony Santillan pitched a scoreless eighth. Former Red Alexis Diaz got the last out of the seventh inning and pitched a 1-2-3 eighth to get credit for his first win of the season.
Emilio Pagan started the ninth for the Reds. Pagan walked Conforto to start the ninth. He retired Betts and Ohtani (0-for-5) on a routine fly to right but Smith doubled off the left field wall to score pinch runner James Outman.
Alex Vesia pitched the ninth for the Dodgers. He struck out after arriving mid-game, taking the place of TJ Friedl, who went on paternaty leave.
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