Spencer Steer hit a home run in the first inning for the second straight day and Will Benson hit a bomb to left center to back Hunter Greene's quality start to defeat the Los Angeles Dodgers, 3-1.
His sixth home run of the season came off the Dodgers' starter from Lexington, Ky, Walker Buehler.
The Dodgers got the run back after they loaded the bases with no outs. Will Smith singled up the middle. Teoscar Hernandez ground ball was stopped by Elly De La Cruz but Smith beat his toss to second base. Hunter Greene walked Gavin Lux. Jason Heyward hit into a double play that allowed Smith to score and Kike Hernandez grounded out.
Will Benson hit his seventh home run of the season into the upper deck in left field to put the Reds up a run again.
Greene survived a double by Freddie Freeman and a triple by Shohei Ohtani to finish six innings. He turned in his third straight quality start with six innings, allowing one run on five hits and a walk. Greene struck out five batters.
"I was telling myself it was my game and I wanted that finish," Greene said. "I was trying to attack guys. It is a really, really good team. They know how to approach each inning and what pitches they're looking for.
Greene's pitch count was high but David Bell let him pitch through the sixth with a grand total of 107 pitches.
"Hunter got better as the game went," Bell said. "He is going to get those opportunities. We want him out there."
The Reds needed at least six because they will have a bullpen day Sunday to set up Nick Lodolo for a start on Monday.
Fernando Cruz took over for Greene to start the seventh.
The Reds extended their lead against Buehler when Jacob Hurtubise doubled into the right field corner. De La Cruz followed with a run scoring single.
Sam Moll pitched a perfect eighth, striking out Ohtani for the third time in the game.
Alexis Diaz had to navigate the heart of the Dodgers' lineup, Freeman, Smith and Teoscar Hernandez to turn in his ninth save in 11 tries.
The Dodgers have lost four games in a row and are suffering from the same offensive struggles as the Reds have been for the last 30 games. They aren't scoring runs. Ohtani has been slowed also by a hamstring.
"It came down to not cashing in on some chances, Roberts said. "I thought that one inning Jason (Heyward) bases loaded nobody out. We stressed Greene right there. I thought he took a good at bat but ultimately hit into a double play. Then there was the situation like that (with Ohtani at third). The ball wasn't hit deep enough. We couldn't cash in. That was sort of the story of the game."
And Ohtani?
"Ohtani's had a little governor. He is nursing a little bit of a hamstring. So, our advice to him is just be smart with it. I think he was just going to leg out a double and the ball just didn't get in (to the infield) so he kept running. It is him just managing the hamstring. Today it was better than yesterday. We need him in there. We just didn't want to push it," Roberts said.
"I think it was on the homestand when he got hit by a throw over to first base hit him in the right hamstring. It kind of start it. The good thing, it wasn't a strain. It was kind of a contusion that we're trying to manage."
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