Dodgers Stay Hot, Red Light for the Reds

The Los Angeles Dodgers kept their NL West lead intact with a 6-3 win over the Cincinnati Reds, thanks to a steady arm and a timely big inning.

Clayton Kershaw (9-2) tossed five innings of two-hit, one-run baseball, striking out six and tying former Dodger Max Scherzer on the all-time wins list with 221. He turned back the clock, keeping Reds bats caged until LA’s offense could strike.

That strike came in the sixth, when the Dodgers batted around for four runs. Will Smith led off with a long ball, Miguel Rojas added a two-run pinch-hit double, and Shohei Ohtani singled home another. It was enough cushion to fend off a late push that included an Austin Hays two-run homer for Cincinnati.

The Reds (68-65) dropped their second straight in LA, slipping further behind the Cubs and Brewers in the NL Central. For the Dodgers, it’s another notch in their winning streak as they keep San Diego a game back in the division.

Up next: Nick Lodolo (8-6, 3.05 ERA) takes the mound for Cincinnati against Shohei Ohtani (0-1, 4.61 ERA), who looks to deliver a gem on his own bobblehead night.