Dodgers beat Reds 6-3 in Ohtani's return
Emmet Sheehan delivered a standout performance on the mound, and Teoscar Hernández hit a three-run home run to help Los Angeles extend its winning streak to five games.
Image of Ohtani
The Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Cincinnati Reds 6-3 on Monday, in a game marked by the return of Shohei Ohtani to the lineup and by a solid performance from pitcher Emmet Sheehan, who returned to the Major League team after a stint in the minors.
Sheehan, who lost his spot in the rotation last month following the addition of left-hander Tarik Skubal, pitched 5⅔ innings and allowed one run, three hits and one walk. In addition, he struck out 10 batters, tying his career high. The right-hander improved his season record to 5-8.
The Dodgers, who now have an 87-57 record, took control of the game in the sixth inning. Freddie Freeman and Max Muncy drew walks off Brandon Williamson, and Teoscar Hernández then hit his 13th home run of the season, a three-run shot that extended the lead to 5-1.
Hernández finished the game 2-for-3 and is in a hot streak at the plate: he has 13 hits in his last 29 at-bats, for a .448 average, along with 11 RBIs in his last eight games.
Cincinnati had taken the lead in the first inning. Venezuelan Elly De La Cruz sent Sheehan's fourth pitch over the center-field wall with one out in the opening inning. It was his 24th home run of the season and put the Reds up 1-0.
Los Angeles responded in the fifth inning. With two runners on base and two outs, Miguel Rojas hit a fly ball that turned into a defensive error by Ke'Bryan Hayes, whose errant throw allowed Hernández and Alex Call to cross home plate.
For the Reds, Eugenio Suárez brought Cincinnati back within striking distance with a solo home run in the seventh inning, his 22nd of the season.
Cincinnati had another chance in the eighth inning, when they put runners on second and third with one out against left-hander Jack Dreyer. However, they were only able to score one run, driven in by a ground ball from pinch hitter Dane Myers, making the score 5-3.
The Dodgers added their sixth run in that same inning on a sacrifice fly by Will Smith.
Reliever Evan Phillips took the mound for the ninth inning and retired all three batters he faced to earn his first save of the season.
Ohtani's return
Ohtani is currently going through a rough stretch at the plate: he has just two hits in his last 26 at-bats (.077) and has not driven in any runs in his last seven games.
The loss left Cincinnati with a 69-75 record. The Reds arrived in Los Angeles after winning three consecutive series against teams also competing for a playoff spot, but they were unable to maintain that streak against the reigning World Series champions.
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