Dateline: Cincinnati
The Reds delayed the Los Angeles Dodgers celebration with a 6-2 win. It was the Reds first win in the last 11 games, including the playoffs.
The Dodgers could celebrate later tonight if the Colorado Rockies defeat the San Diego Padres in a game in Denver.
Elly De La Cruz, Juan Brito and Sal Stewart combined to seven hits and four RBI.
Blake Snell, who pitched a no-hitter the last time he pitched at Great American Ball Park, left the game after one inning. He struck out Dane Myers on a challenged called strike three. Elly De La Cruz flied out routinely to center. Sal Stewart singled but Snell picke him off.
Snell left with left groin tightness.
The Dodgers dented the plate in the third inning on an RBI double by Will Smith after Mookie Betts second hit of the game.
De La Cruz put the Reds ahead with his 28th home run, a career high. It came off Seth Halvorsen in the third inning. Jose Trevino singled and was forced at second by Matt McLain, who was on base when De La Cruz hit the seventh home run of his career in his 25th game against the Dodgers. He has reached base in his last 23 games.
"Elly has balance and when you have good balance, it shrinks the strike zone a little bit. He leverages the ball so well when he's on balance and uses the whole field," Terry Francona said.
Andrew Abbott was short of qualifying for a win, when he walked five in 4 2/3 innings, including the first two batters of the fifth. The Dodgers had just three hits off Abbott but the walks caused manager Terry Francona to bring Julian Garcia to get out the Reds' main nightmare, Teoscar Hernandez with a pop up. Abbott struck out five.
Myers hit a home run off Bobby Miller with two outs in the fifth inning to give the Reds a two-run lead. It was Myers' seventh home run.
Miller and the Dodgers' catcher, Will Smith, are both University of Louisville graduates. Both were taken by the Dodgers in the first round. Smith in 2016 and Miller in 2020.
The Reds got to Garcia for a run in the sixth. With one out Kyle Tucker singled. Kike Hernandez dribbled an infield single and Garcia walked pinch hitter Alex Freeland to load the bases. Tommy Edman grounded out to Stewart at first and his only play was at first as Tucker scored. Tejay Antone came in to face Betts, who lined out to De La Cruz.
The Reds added a run against Miller. Stewart hit his second single and Tyler Stephenson was hit by a pitch. Juan Brito's third hit of the game was a duck snort in short right field to score Stewart.
"It feels great. I'm getting confidence from my teammates and the staff have said positive things to me," Brito said through interpreter Tomas Vera. "Hitting from the left side is. I had surgery last year that took a tendon from my left side. I wasn't able to do things from the left side but it hasn't happened this year."
Brito, a switch hitter is hitting .394 from the right side and .238 from the left side. He has hit two home runs since joining the Reds one from each side.
"Brito has a good short swing from the right side. It is a little longer from the left side," Francona said.
Brock Burke extended his career-high with his 74th appearance. He authored a scoreless inning. He gave up an inning opening hit to Smith but Reds' boogy man Teoscar Hernandez hit into a 6-4-3 double play.
Stewart's third hit of the game came off Jack Dreyer. It was a hard smash off the glove of Betts. It was Stewart's 108th RBI good for second in baseball and the first RBI in eight games. McLain started the inning with a double and stole third. Manager Dave Roberts elected to walk De La Cruz. Eugenio Suarez walked to load the bases. TJ Friedl singled to score De La Cruz but Tommy Edman threw Stewart out at home.
Graham Ashcraft pitched in the eighth for the Reds, walking two with two outs but escaped the inning.
Emilio Pagan gave up a leadoff single but struck out the heart of the Dodgers order, including Teoscar Hernandez, who came in hitting .600 against the Reds this season with three home runs.
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