The Los Angeles Dodgers reached the end of their 20-games-in-20-days stretch on Wednesday, looking to complete a three-game sweep of the Cincinnati Reds before departing on a seven-game road trip.
Scott Kazmir opened the first inning with back-to-back strikeouts. Joey Votto and Brandon Phillips combined for back-to-back singles to put Kazmir in a little trouble with two outs. He worked his way out of it by getting Jay Bruce to line out.
Dan Straily also started his first inning of work with consecutive strikeouts. Justin Turner then grounded into the shift for the third out. Kazmir added to his strikeout total in the second inning by striking out the side.
Straily struck out Adrian Gonzalez to start the bottom of the second, then retired Trayce Thompson and Joc Pederson for a 1-2-3 inning. Cincinnati didn’t find any success in the third, with Kazmir collecting his sixth strikeout of the game.
Meanwhile, the Dodgers were held without a hit through three innings as Straily struck out the side. Phillips drove a one-out single into right field by a diving Chase Utley in the fourth inning.
Bruce followed with a deep drive to center field that Pederson was unable to make a leaping catch on. He collided with the fence, allowing Phillips to score from first base. However, Bruce was thrown out on his attempt at an inside-the-park home run.
CONTINUE READING: Scott Kazmir matches season high with 12 strikeouts
Utley collected the Dodgers’ first hit of the night on a leadoff single in the bottom of the fourth. Turner was hit by a pitch with one out, and Gonzalez followed with a walk to load the bases.
After Thompson was called out on strikes, Pederson dropped a two-run single into right field to give the Dodgers a lead. Yasmani Grandal added to it with a line-drive solo home run that carried multiple rows up the right field pavilion.
Kazmir wakled Zack Cozart to lead off the sixth inning, but bounced back with strikeouts of Billy Hamilton and Votto. Phillips also walked, only for both runners to be stranded as Bruce grounded into the Dodgers’ shift.
That wound up being Kazmir’s final inning of work and he finished the night with 12 strikeouts, which matched his season high. Louis Coleman took over in the seventh and struck out one batter as he set the Reds down in order.
Pedro Baez followed suit in the eighth inning and Kenley Jansen entered in the ninth to convert the save. The victory extended the Dodgers’ winning streak to four games, which set a season high.