The Los Angeles Dodgers sent out a lineup heavy on right-handed batters to combat Cincinnati Reds starter Amir Garrett, but the southpaw was removed in the second inning after being struck on his throwing hand by an Austin Barnes line drive.
Prior to his removal, Garrett allowed a two-run home run to Justin Turner in his first at-bat off the disabled list. Reds relief pitcher Jake Buchanan walked Logan Forsythe with two outs in the third to load the bases.
Barnes’ high chopper went for an RBI single, and a second run scored on Buchanan’s throwing error. The Dodgers loaded the bases again in the fourth inning, when Franklin Gutierrez’s two-run single extended the lead to 6-1.
The single was Gutierrez’s second on the night, giving him his first multi-hit game this season. Kiké Hernandez padded the Dodgers lead in the eighth with a solo home run to center field. Of his 29 hits to that point in the season, 21 were for extra bases.
Rich Hill was effectively wild before settling in. Two batters after issuing a leadoff walk in the second inning, Hill’s throwing error left a pair of runners on. Jose Peraza’s soft single got through the left side of the infield and scored a run.
Hill walked a pair in the third, including Buchanan to start the inning, but got through it unscathed. Despite a soaring pitch count, Hill managed to get through five innings with just the one run allowed on two hits.
He did labor to the tune of 98 pitches and three walks. Heading into their weekend series with the Reds, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Kenta Maeda would piggyback with Hill or Alex Wood.
Maeda’s first relief appearance since 2008 came in the sixth inning on Friday night. He followed in the same footsteps as Hyun-Jin Ryu when the southpaw was in the same position earlier this season.
Maeda struck out five and allowed a solo home run to Joey Votto in the ninth before finishing out his four-inning save in the 7-2 victory. This season marks the first time the Dodgers have a pair of four-inning saves since Alan Mills and Matt Herges did so in 2000.
Los Angeles also has a three-inning save this season from Ross Stripling.
