The Los Angeles Dodgers entered Sunday’s contest hoping to put themselves in position to earn a series split with the Cincinnati Reds. The Dodgers were stuck in a three-game losing streak, while the Reds were on a five-game winning streak.
A strong outing from Julio Urias was needed, as the last Dodgers starting pitcher to make it past five innings was Kenta Maeda against the Philadelphia Phillies on Aug. 16. While the Dodgers have been roughed up in the first inning this series, it was their offense that got off to an early start.
Chase Utley, who was among the players given the night off Saturday, provided a spark with a line-drive leadoff home run. The homer was Utley’s 11th this season and third to start a game.
After striking out Billy Hamilton, Urias gave up a base hit to former Dodgers prospect Jose Peraza. However, Urias erased Peraza from the bases by getting his Major League-tying fifth pickoff.
Brandon Phillips kept the inning alive on a jam-shot single to center field, but was stranded when Adam Duvall grounded to third on the first pitch he saw. Anthony DeSclafani set the Dodgers down in order in the second, extending his streak to six batters retired in a row.
Urias picked up back-to-back strikeouts in the bottom of the second en route throwing a 1-2-3 inning. Andrew Toles, who was recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City on Sunday, made his presence felt via his speed.
Phillips made a diving stop on a ball hit to his left, but rushed the throw to first base and Ivan De Jesus Jr. wasn’t able to dig it out. Toles was moved into scoring position on Urias’ sacrifice bunt.
Utley then added to his day with an RBI single to right field, and alertly took second base on the throw home. Corey Seager cashed in on Utley’s heads-up baserunning by slapping an RBI single to left field.
That extended Seager’s hitting streak to 12 games. With a three-run lead to work with, Urias carried his success into the bottom of the third.
Tucker Barnhart grounded out to short, DeSclafani hit a dribbler back to mound, and Urias struck out Hamilton to end another 1-2-3 inning.
Joc Pederson ended a personal string of five consecutive strikeouts with a two-out base hit that was lined off De Jesus Jr.’s glove and carried into right field. Pederson was stranded, however, as DeSclafani got Toles to ground into a force out.
Adrian Gonzalez led off the sixth inning with an opposite-field single to extend his hitting streak to 14 games. Yasmani Grandal followed with a double off the left-field wall, and Pederson’s sacrifice fly extended the Dodgers’ lead to 4-0 before DeSclafani got out of the inning.
Urias ran into some trouble in the bottom of the sixth as Hamilton hit a one-out single and Phillips’ two-out base hit put runner son the corners. The young lefty remained composed and retired Duvall to finish off a sixth shutout inning.
Including time with Oklahoma City, it marked the fifth time this season Urias completed six innings of work. Joe Blanton allowed a leadoff double in the seventh, then retired the next two batters. Barnhart kept the inning alive by drawing a walk, which brought pinch-hitter Joey Votto to the plate.
Blanton received the benefit of the doubt on a borderline pitch to the outside corner for strike three, ending the inning with the Dodgers still ahead, 4-0. Pedro Baez worked around a Peraza infield single in the eighth to keep the shutout intact.
Pitching for the first time since Aug. 13, Kenley Jansen allowed a base hit in the bottom of the ninth but otherwise struck out the side to wrap up the Dodgers’ 4-0 victory. Their win pulled them even with the San Francisco Giants atop the National League West standings.
