Tarik Skubal Shuts Down Reds Dodgers Clinch Playoffs

         

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Dateline: Cincinnati  

Tarik Skubal, who joined the Los Angeles Dodgers on August 2, shutout the Reds for seven innings. The Dodgers posted a 4-1 win.

It is the ninth straight win over the Reds, including two playoff games last season. The Dodgers swept the Reds last week September 7,8,9.

The Dodgers clinched a playoff spot for a record 14th straight year.

Kyle Tucker smashed his 15th home run of the season leading off the second inning. It was the 18th allowed by Nick Lodolo, who grew up in Southern California as a Los Angeles Angels fan.

Teoscar Hernandez hit .779 (7-for-) against the Reds last week in Los Angeles with a triple and a home run. Lodolo got the first two batters in the top of the fourth but walked Tucker. Hernandez hit the 14th home run of the season to put the Dodgers up 3-0.

Teoscar Hernandez walked and stole second as Max Muncy struck out for the second out but Kike Hernandez singled to put the Dodgers ahead, 4-0.

Lodolo pitched seven innings and left trailing 4-0. He only allowed three hits but two were home runs. He walked four and two of them scored. He allowed three runs with two outs and struck out four.

"He gave up three hits but two of them left the ballpark," Terry Francona said. "We just fell behind the wrong guy (Skubal). That's a very good hitting team and we knew that."

Luis Mey relieved Lodolo in the eighth inning.

"Lodolo is very competitive," Francona said. "I don't think you get to this level without being that way."

It was a season-high seven innings.

"I think I made some good pitches early in the count," Lodolo said. "I felt like I had better count control. It allowed me to go deeper there. Obviously, free bases there. That's a really good team. I don't worry about who is on the other side on the mound. You have to worry about doing your job. He (Skubal) is one of the best pitchers in the game, if not the best."

Skubal turned the game over to Alex Vesia in the eighth. Skubal shutout the Reds on three hits, all singles, and a walk. He struck out nine.

Tony Santillan held the Dodgers in the eighth.

The Reds avoided a 17th white wash when Elly De La Cruz hit a monstrous home run against Evan Phillips in the ninth.

It extended De La Cruz career-high to 27 on the season. He has six of them in September with a .284 batting average on the season. If it holds over the Reds last 12 games, it will also be a career high.

His home run is estimated at 457' and appeared to leave the border of the ballpark grounds.

"It didn't tie the game or anything but it was impressive. Maybe I'll pick it up on the way home," quipped Francona, who lives in Newport, Kentucky. 

Reds Return From Long And Winding Road

         

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Dateline: Cincinnati  

The Reds odyssey ended on a positive note with a 4-3 win over the Milwaukee Brewers.

It snapped the Reds five-game losing streak and the Brewers five-game winning streak.

Chase Burns started the game. The Reds have put a governor on him to keep his number of innings down. He was scheduled to work three innings with Brandon Williamson taking over.

 Burns gave up two hits and three walks while striking out five. Joe Ortiz hit his ninth home run of the season with Christian Yelich on base off Burns. 

The Reds had little success against Brewers starter, Robert Gasser until Elly De La Cruz singled to start the sixth. Brewers manager Pat Murphy brought in Antonio Senzatela. Sal Stewart greeted him with a single. Eugenio Suarez blasted his 24th home run of the season to put the Reds on top.

Williamson allowed two hits in four innings but one of them was Jake Bauer’s team leading 26th home run to tie the game. 

The Reds made Williamson the winner with a run in the eighth. The Reds pulled a rerun of the sixth. De La Cruz and Stewart singled against Abner Uribe. Suarez popped out to catcher Gary Sanchez in foul territory. Tyler Stephenson, as he’s done all year delivered De La Cruz with a long fly to right.

Brock Burke in his 73rd appearance had mixed results and perhaps a slight case of the yips. Cooper Pratt singled to center. Sal Frelick bunted. Brock fielded it and threw low and away to Stewart at first. The throw pulled Stewart off the base. The Brewers seemed to be in business. The dangerous Jackson Chourio lined a 1-1 pitch up the middle. Burke plucked out of the air and threw to second. That throw was low and away but Juan Brito, the slick fielding rookie scooped it with his foot on the bag to retire Pratt. Jose Trevino caught Frelick stealing with new Reds killer Brice Turang batting.

Emilio Pagan came in to close. Turang singled to start the drama. Pagan struck out Sanchez looking. Bauers hit a ball off the handle which acted like a knuckleball. It twisted and darted toward De La Cruz who got a glove on it to knock it down. He recovered the fumble and flipped to Brito to replace Turang, the Brewers leading base stealer with Bauer. It forced Murphy to summon David Hamilton as a pinch runner. Yelich hit a fly down the left field line. Defensive replacement TJ Friedl made a sliding catch in foul ground to hand Pagan his 23rd save.

The Reds are 70-79 heading into a grinding home stand with four games against the defending World Champion  Los Angeles Dodgers and three more against current Wild Card leaders in the Chicago Cubs. The Red will be eliminated mathematically with a combination of two losses by two wins by the third wild card entry the San Diego Padres.

Reds On The Highway To Hell

         

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Dateline: Cincinnati  

Holy home run Batman.

The Reds media pointed to September at the beginning of the season by looking at this month at the start of the season.

The Reds started with the San Diego Padres visiting Great Canadian (by Mark Carney's provincial edict) Ball Park. Followed by six games against the Milwaukee Brewers, seven against the defending World Champion, Los Angeles Dodgers, six against leading playoff contender Chicago Cubs and after all that NL East leader the Atlanta Braves and to top it off the defending WS runner up, the Toronto Blue Jays.

The Reds held their own at GABP (GCBP in Canada) by winning two out of three against San Diego and Milwaukee. Then they hit the road.

They were swept by the Dodgers with the last game a 14-1 embarrassment in which on of the Reds few bright spots, Elly De La Cruz set a new career home run high at 26 with his fifth straight game featuring one of his home runs. 

The tragic number is found in the Reds starting trio the last three games. Rhett Lowder allowed seven runs in the Dodgers' debacle, Andrew Abbott gave up eight runs, seven earned in the 20-0 Brewers win on football Friday in Cincinnati, the 16th white wash the Reds suffered. Last night Brady Singer was touched for eight runs in the Brewers 13-9 win on Saturday (091226).

Jose Trevino pitched three innings, appearing in two straight games. He now has pitched in more games seven than Hunter Greene, five.

The Brewers are a topic of concern among pundits because the have only hit 144 home runs but they have hit five against the Reds in the last two games, including two in new Reds' killer, Garrett Mitchell, who had four hits on Saturday. Never mind they have a low home run totals but lead baseball with 93 wins. 

Since, Brewers manager, Pat Murphy took over for the 2024 season, the club set franchise win records over the last two seasons. With 93 wins with 13 games remaining, the Brewers need to win five of them to set another win record. They need to go 7-6 to win 100 games for the first time in franchise history. 

The Reds are third in baseball with 198 home run which accounts for an inordinate amount of the team's total run tally. The Reds are a season low 10 games under .500 at 69-79.

Reds ace Chase Burns is 15-3 and starting against LHP Robert Gasser 4-5 on the hill for the Brewers. 

Burns will likely be followed by recovering lefty Brandon Williamson as the Reds put a governor on Burns' work load to close out the season. 

Tarik Skubal Pitches Dodgers To Win

       

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Dateline: Cincinnati  

Tarik Skubal pitched into the eighth inning in his seventh start for the Los Angeles Dodgers to hold the Reds for a slim 3-2 win.

It was the Dodgers sixth straight win over all and the 10th straight win over the Reds in Dodger Stadium, including two playoff games last season. It also ended the Reds streak at three for winning a series.

Will Smith started the scoring against Nick Lodolo with a home run on a 3-2 pitch in the first inning. It was Smith's seventh home run and ended a nine pitch at bat.

The Dodgers used Lodolo's loss of command to add a run in the second inning. Teoscar Hernandez continued to be a nightmare for the Reds and pitching carefully, Lodolo walked him to start the inning. Miguel Rojas flied out and Alex Call struck out but another Reds' tormentor singled to center. Lodolo walked Enrique Hernandez walked. He hit Tommy Edman to force in the run.

Dane Myers singled with two out in the third. Elly De La Cruz crushed a Tarik Skubal's first pitch 444 ft, the longest home run at Dodger's Stadium this year. It was the 25th of the season to tie De La Cruz' career high. It was the fourth game in a row the De La Cruz hit a home run.

De La Cruz arm saved kept the game tied when Teoscar Hernanez hit a sinking line drive to center. Myers dived for it and it got past him. JJ Bleday chased it down at the wall and threw a relay to De La Cruz. From mid center he threw out Hernandez at the plate with plenty of room to spare.

Lodolo pitched into the fifth inning. 

Mookie Betts walked with one out. Smith was hit by a pitch. Freddie Freeman was called out on strikes on a successful challenge by Jose Trevino for the second out but Teoscar Hernandez second hit of the game scored Betts to put the Dodgers ahead.

Skubal allowed two more hits and two walks through seven innings. Skubal retired Rodriguez on a ground out, then was replaced by Edgardo Henriquez. De La Cruz doubled with two outs to bring the Major League leader in RBI, Sal Stewart, to the plate. He struck out looking on a successful challenge by Smith.

Tanner Scott issued a leadoff walk to Tyler Stephenson in the ninth and pinch runner Carlos Jorge stole second, his first career steal, but Scott struck out Eugenio Suarez and Bleday looking before Trevino grounded to short to end the game. 

Teoscar Hernandez reached base four times with three hits and a walk. He came into the game hitting .324 against the Reds with three home run.

De La Cruz has reached base at least twice in 12 straight games.

Reds Defense And Untimely Walks Gift Dodgers A Win

      

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Dateline: Cincinnati  

The Reds defense let the Reds down in an unlikely way as the Los Angeles Dodgers posted a 6-3 win.

The Reds started the scoring when Elly De La Cruz blasted his 24th home run of the season.

 After that Dodgers’ starter Emmet Sheehan retired 14 straight batters.

Reds starter Chase Burns pitched just three innings as the Reds are piggy backing his starts with Brandon Williamson.

Burns allowed just a walk in three innings. He struck out five including Shohei Ohtani the last batter he faced.

The Dodgers got a pair of gift runs in the fifth against Williamson. Teoscar Hernandez single for the Dodgers’ first hit. Williamson got two outs and was 0-2 to Alex Call but hit him in the back foot. Pinch hitter Miguel Rojas hit a slow ground ball to Ke’Bryan Hayes at third base. Hayes who was reactivated from the injured list after a groin injury, threw low and two runs scored. 

The Reds chased Sheehan in the sixth inning. Carlos Jorge singled for his first major league hit. Fellow rookie Hector Rodriguez singled to put runners on the corner with one out. De La Cruz was Sheehan’s 10th strikeout but he walked Sal Stewart to load the bases. Left hander Alex Vesia relieved Sheehan and struck out JJ Bleday to end the threat.

Williamson walked Freddie Freeman and Max Muncy in front of Hernandez’ 13th home run of the season for a 5-1 lead. 

Eugenio Suarez homered against Seth Halverson in the seventh inning. It is Suarez’ 22nd home run of the season and 211th as a Red passing Ken Griffey Jr for ninth on the Reds list.

The Reds chipped away in the eighth against Vesia. Rodriguez second single of the game opened the inning. De La Cruz singled him to third. MLB’s RBI leader with 107 struck out. Pinch hitter Dane Myers, who had 11 pinch hits in the year, grounded out to third to score a run after De La Cruz stole second. 

The Dodgers loaded the bases in the bottom of the eighth. Tommy Edman reached on Hayes’ second error of the game. It was just the fourth time he’s had a multi error game. Muncy doubled and Hernandez was intentionally walked to load the bases with no outs. Kyle Tucker hit a slow ground ball to De La Cruz who charged it and threw off balance to get the force at home. Tejay Atone relieved Williamson. Pinch hitter, Will Smith, hit a fly to center deep enough to score the Didgers’ sixth run.

Williamson pitched 4 1/3 innings, allowing six runs, three earned on three hits. He four walks and one intentional walk. He struck out four.

Elly De La Cruz Rescues Bird Then Rescues Reds

       

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Dateline: Cincinnati  

 Elly De La Cruz as the DH was in position to be a hero while the Milwaukee Brewers were in the midst of a three run rally in the Reds 12-8 win over the first place Milwaukee Brewers. 

Jake Bauers homered for the first hit, his team-leading 24th.

 A helpless bird landed in the middle of the first base line. Reds starter Brady Singer tried to shoo it, the ball boy unsuccessfully tried to capture it in his cap. De La Cruz popped out of the dugout and picked up the bird with his bare hands. 

Then as the Brewers were now within a run, De La Cruz said, “bye bye birdie” with his 23rd home run  of the season with a man on in the bottom of the inning.

The 6-3 margin didn’t last long as Singer issued six walks. The Brewers knotted the game in the fifth with three runs, that started with a pair of two out walks to Brewers hitters. Garret Mitchell singled and Brice Turang hit a game tying double before Terry Francona could get someone ready in the bullpen.

Singer got a line out from Pratt to end the inning.

It was Elly De La to the rescue again with a bases loaded two run double off Antonio Senzetels in the bottom of the inning to allow Singer to qualify for a win

Luis Mey pitched a scoreless sixth. Brock Burke extended his career high with his 71st appearance in a scoreless seventh.

Graham Ashcraft fresh off the injured list kicked off some rust with his first appearance since May 25. He walked the first two batters he faced then gave up a run scoring single to Bo Naylor in his first Brewers’ appearance to cut the lead to 9-7. Ashcraft struck out Christian Yelich with the tying run on deck to preserve the lead.

The Reds seemingly put the game away with three runs in the bottom of the eighth. 

Matt McLain walked. Rookies Juan Brito and Hector Rodriguez followed with their third hits. Sal Stewart, who drove in his MLB leading 107th run walked to load the bases. Dane Myers, who reached base a career high four times hit a ball hard that eluded David Hamilton in what was scored an error.

That presumably gave Francona a chance to save closer Emilio Pagan.

But troubled brewed in the ninth.

Pierce Johnson got a lead off fly out by Jackson Chourio but walked Bauers and Andrew Vaughn. Turang singled to drive in his third run. Pratt hit a ground ball to McLain at short. Britt’s relay was ruled in time to double Pratt but the Brewers challenged and won.

Now Francona had to summon Pagan, who got pinch hitter Gary Sanchez to earn his 22nd save.

Graham Ashcraft Activated Sam Moll Designated For Assignment

      

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Dateline: Cincinnati  

Graham Ashcraft returns to the Reds from the 60-day injured list.

Lefthanded reliever Sam Moll is the sacrificial lamb, being designated for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster.

Ashcraft has been healing an elbow since May 29. He last appeared in a game on May 25. He was 1-1 with a save and a 3.33 ERA in 25 games.  

The plans were for Ashcraft to pitch the seventh or in situations with base runners. Tony Santillan would set up Emilio Pagan. Soon after the Reds 20-11 start those plans fell apart. All three served time on the injured list.

Moll appeared in 65 games, second most on the club, to Brock Burke's 70.

He was 2-7 with a 4.79 ERA and one save. Right handed batters hit .293 against him, left handers .217. The injuries of the three pitchers mentioned pressed him into situations that he was not suited for.

Moll's departure leaves the Reds with one left hander, Burke, in the bullpen.

Reds Hit Three Home Runs And Hold Tight To Edge Brewers

     

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Dateline: Cincinnati  

The Reds hit three solo home runs and Eugenio Suarez scored from second base on a wild pitch as the Reds evened the series against the Milwaukee Brewers, 5-3.

William Contreras hit his 14th home run in the first inning against Andrew Abbott. The Brewers are last in baseball with 132 home runs.

Elly De La Cruz took Brewers' starter Dustin May downtown with his 22nd home run of the season in the bottom of the first.

The Reds gifted a run in the third inning. David Hamilton beat out an infield single to Sal Stewart at first. With one out Abbott picked Hamilton off first but Stewart's throw went into left field and Hamilton advanced to third. Luis Lara's slow ground ball allowed the unearned run to cross.

The Reds got a singles from JJ Bleday and Suarez to put runners on first and third with two outs in the fourth when the rains came. The delay was 2 hours and 22 minutes and Jose Trevino had to wait to deliver a run scoring single against DL Hall to tie the game. 

Abbott wanted to go back out and won the argument with acting pitching coach, Matt Tracy but minutes before the game was to resume another shower came down.

"To be honest I was prepared for it before the second rain delay. We had an idea because he was out there warming up," Trevino said. "Abbott was throwing the ball really well. He was going to go back out there after the first one and he wanted to go back out. He was fighting Tracy for it. We had him ready for it then the second rain happened. The biggest thing was bringing the energy. It was a typical baseball, grind."

Tyler Stephenson led off the sixth inning with his 15th home run of the season against Jo Jo Romero. 

Julian Garcia and Tejay Antone pitched scoreless innings.

Tony Santillan went out for the seventh. He struck out Brice Turang but Cooper Pratt, Gary Sanchez and David Hamilton singled to load the bases. Jackson Chourio tied the game with a sacrifice fly and Santillan walked Luis Lara but he struck out Contreras to end the inning.

"That was big for Tony," Trevino said. "Obviously, he's been going through it (injuries and ineffectiveness). He threw the ball really well tonight, holding his composure and getting after it man. It looks promising for him moving forward."

Matt McLain greeted Aaron Ashby with his 15th home run.

For the second time in the game Hector Rodriguez was thrown out stretching a single to a double and thrown out by Chourio from left field.

Brock Burke struck out two in his 70th appearance, a scoreless eighth.

Suarez doubled and scored from second base on a wild pitch from Grant Anderson.

Emilio Pagan gave up a one-out double to Sanchez, walked Jake Bauers and gave up a single to Chourio to load the bases. He induced a pop up to short from Lara and a routine fly to center from Contreras to take his 21st save in 24 tries.

 

Cooper Platt Drives In Four Runs And Ruins Eugenio Suarez First Home Run As A Citizen

      

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Dateline: Cincinnati  

Milwaukee Brewers rookie Cooper Pratt drove in four runs with a ground out and a triple to send the Brewers to a 10-7 win over the Reds.

Brice Turang had three hits, including a two-run double to seal the Reds fate. 

It spoiled a triumphant return for Eugenio Suarez in his return from the naturalization process that made him a US citizen.

The Reds jumped to a one-run lead in the first inning against Shane Drohan.

Dane Myers beat out an infield hit and stole second. Elly De La Cruz grounded a single up the middle to score Myers.

The Brewers took the lead against Rhett Lowder in the second inning. Brice Turang singled and stopped at third on Garrett Mitchell's double. Cooper Pratt's ground out scored Turang. David Hamilton followed with a triple but Myers robbed Sal Frelick of his fifth home run. 

Eugenio Suarez came to bat for the first time since he became a US citizen to Lee Greenwood's, God Bless the USA, as his walkup song. Saurez walked and scored on Matt McLain's 14th home run of the season.

The Brewers took the lead right back off Lowder.

Jake Bauers walked for the second time. Jackson Chourio forced him at second. Christian Yelich grounded out to first as Chourio was running on the pitch. Turang second hit of the game was a two-run double off the right field wall.

De La Cruz singled and Tyler Stephenson walked to put two men on in front of Suarez, who launched his 21st home run of the season to put the Reds up by two runs. It was his 210th home run as a Red which tied Ken Griffey Jr. for ninth on the Reds list.

The Brewers loaded the bases against Lowder in the fifth. Chourio singled and Yelich walked. De La Cruz botted a double play ball from William Contreras.  

“A big play," Terry Francona said. "We get a grounder to short. We got a chance to have two outs and a runner on third. I went back and looked at it a couple of times. It went right between Contreras’ legs. I don’t know if it snuck up on Elly after that - unfortunate.” 

Terry Francona went to left hander Sam Moll to try to escape the inning. Moll hit Turang with a 3-2 pitch. Moll struck out pinch hitter Luis Lara looking on a 3-2 pitch which was challenged but was upheld. Pratt tripled inside the third base bag to put the Brewers back in the lead. Pratt scored on a wild pitch to give them a 9-6 lead.

“Four walks and six hits in four innings. That’s a lot of traffic. Sam came in and didn’t walk anybody but just wasn’t throwing it where he wanted to. Early on, it looked good. They scored, we’d come back. Their bullpen stopped us and ours didn’t stop them," Francona said.”

Lowder finished with four plus innings, allowing seven runs, six earned. He gave up six hits and walked four with two strikeouts.

“What stems from that is two-strike execution that led to some walks and it led to some hits and some runs. I left some balls over the plate. I just expanded too much and got into some bad counts, which led to some walks,” Lowder said. “The offense was doing their job and I just gave it right back. I tried to get myself in position, I felt like I got in position to do it. I was one pitch away and didn’t make that pitch and they capitalized on it in back-to-back innings.”

The Brewers added a run against Luis Mey on a two-out RBI double by Contreras. 

Sal Stewart who was named the Rookie of the Month for August singled to drive in the Reds seventh run to extend his major league lead to 106. He has already set the Reds rookie record and has the highest total for a rookie since, Pete Alonso, from the New York Mets drove in 120 in 2019.

Trevor Megill pitched a scoreless ninth for his 26th save in 28 attempts.

The Brewers need only 10 wins in the last 20 games to establish a franchise record for the third year in a row.

Carlos Jorge flied out to left in his first major league at bat.

Reds Select Contract Of Another Star Prospect.

      

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Dateline: Cincinnati  

The Reds selected the contract of  Carlos Jorge from Triple A Louisville on Friday (090326).

Ivan Johnson was optioned to Louisville and the Reds placed Michael Toglia on the 60-injured list with a separated right shoulder.

Jorge is a speedy left handed hitter, who is 5'9" and a 22-year old native of Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic.

He was in Dayton last year and slashed .251/.342/.355 with 16 doubles, four triples, six home runs and 37 RBI in 110 games. He stole 40 bases in 47 attempts.

After an impressing spring in Goodyear, Jorge, went to Chattanooga for 59 games, slashing .330/.402/.452 with four doubles, three triples, six home runs and 32 RBI. He stole 23 bases in 27 attempts. 

Jorge was promoted to Louisville for 29 games, .263/.323/.377 with five doubles, a triple, two home runs and 11 RBI. He was 10 for 11 in stolen bases.

Terry Francona pointed him out after watching him perform at the end of games in Goodyear this spring.

"Nothing was given to him. He just kind of played his ass off," Francona said. "He will play center field against the righties. I think a lot we wanted to get him here now. You want to win every game you can but you also try to set yourself up for next year. I saw energy. His energy is off the charts which is good. He is a highlight center fielder. There are some ambitious mistakes. That's ok. You'd rather have it that way. We're looking forward to knowing him."

Jorge made strides this season.

"I'm excited to be here, to get the opportunity to prove myself," Jorge said. "I know we are at the end of the season. I will try to do my best. Tito watched me play in spring. That was good. Last year I didn't think I would be here. I won't stop learning and keep working hard."

"Offensively, I am better at controlling the strike zone and using the whole field. I'm going to be an energy guy. I going to cheer for my team like I hope they will cheer for me. I feel like I'm family here there are guys that I played with. At the end of the day we are family. I'm a speedy guy. My job is to be on base for the guys," Jorge said.