Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Austin Barnes, right, speaks with pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto during the third inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds on Sunday, May 26, 2024, in Cincinnati.
11:15 JST, May 27, 2024
CINCINNATI (AP) — Jonathan India and Nick Martini each drove in two runs and the Cincinnati Reds held off the Los Angeles Dodgers for a 4-1 victory on Sunday, extending L.A.’s longest losing streak since 2019 to five.
Brent Suter, Nick Martinez, Carson Spiers and Alexis Díaz combined for a five-hitter. Martinez (2-3) pitched 4 1/3 innings of one-hit ball on a bullpen day for Cincinnati, and Díaz got two outs for his 10th save.
“It starts with our pitchers,” Reds manager David Bell said. “They are ready to get the ball. Starting with Brent Suter, who did his job. That’s where it starts. Nick Martinez took over. Nick continues to show how good he is during his pitches. To pitch so well against this team really says a lot.”
It is the longest descent for Los Angeles since it fell six times in a row from April 8 to 13, 2019.
“If you don’t hit, it sure seems lifeless,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. ‘Looks like we’re cold. I know it’s not because of care or preparation. In short, it is about results and we are not achieving them at the moment. They beat us this series and won three.”
Freddie Freeman hit an RBI double in the ninth, stopping an 0-for-22 slide for the Dodgers with runners in scoring position. Freeman then advanced due to defensive indifference, but Díaz struck out Teoscar Hernández and Andy Pages with a swing.
“It’s May, it’s baseball,” Freeman said. “Two weeks ago we won every game. I don’t think anyone in our lineup needs to ask questions. We will be fine.”
The start of the game was moved from 1:40 PM EDT to 12:10 PM due to the threat of severe storms that arrived in the sixth inning. The teams then waited for just over an hour after a delay.
Cincinnati scored four runs in the third off Yoshinobu Yamamoto (5-2). India singled with the bases loaded, and Martini’s bloop hit scored two more.
Yamamoto allowed six hits, struck out eight and walked two in five innings.
“They found a way to battle it out with two and find some grass in the outfield,” Roberts said. “They stayed within baseball. When you fight, sometimes you get these pauses. Other than that, I thought Yoshi was fantastic. He was one batter away from a scoreless five.”
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds on Sunday, May 26, 2024, in Cincinnati.
Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani went 3 for 12 in the series while dealing with a bruised right hamstring. Ohtani batted second on Sunday and went 1 for 3 as the designated hitter.
Ohtani reached on an infield single and scored his team’s lone run.
“It’s around 90 percent,” Roberts said of Ohtani’s hamstring. Assuming things will continue to get better, I’m confident he can play smart and not push. I talked to him about not trying to steal a base. Be smart. The value of having him in the lineup is everything.”
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani advanced to second base on defensive indifference during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds on Sunday, May 26, 2024, in Cincinnati.
Los Angeles’ lineup has been hampered by inconsistency. The Dodgers scored six times in the series opener and then scored two more in the next two games. They were eliminated twice this month while scoring two or fewer points six times.
Roberts hinted at some lineup changes as the Dodgers opened a three-game series against the New York Mets at Citi Field.
“Some guys might have a little bit of pressure,” Roberts said. “Every time I write the lineup, I have a good feeling that we are going to score some points. It’s not a big picture thing. It was at least two weeks in which things were not good.”
