The Los Angeles Dodgers were held without a baserunner through the first three innings but eventually broke through against Sonny Gray to defeat the Cincinnati Reds, 3-2. The Dodgers extended their winning streak to four games and hit a home run at Dodger Stadium for a 32nd consecutive game, tying the MLB record previously set by the Rockies.
Gray entered the series finale with his only other start at Chavez Ravine a complete-game shutout for the Oakland Athletics in 2015. Gray picked up where he left off, retiring the first 10 Dodgers faced.
His perfect game was broken up by Cody Bellinger’s one-out single in the fourth inning. After an apparent inning-ending double play was successfully challenged by the Dodgers, Gray was forced to return to the mound with Bellinger in scoring position.
Max Muncy failed to capitalize on the gift, however, striking out to end the fourth. There was a blip in Gray’s dominance, which led to walking Austin Barnes on four pitches to start the sixth inning.
Barnes stole second base without a throw and was on the verge of being stranded when Joc Pederson struck out. Rather than face the red-hot Bellinger, the Reds intentionally walked him. The decision backfired as A.J. Pollock broke up the shutout and gave the Dodgers a lead with his three-run home run.
For as strong of a start as Gray had, the effort was matched by Walker Buehler in what was his best outing of the season. Buehler opened the game by walking Joey Votto but it was not indicative of what was to follow.
Buehler retired 12 batters in a row, which was ended when Yasiel Puig led off the seventh inning with a base hit. Matt Kemp singled to put two on with one out and knock Buehler out of the game. A passed ball allowed both runners to advance and led to Puig scoring when Scott Alexander induced a groundball out.
The unearned run was all Buehler allowed as he scattered three hits and collected eight strikeouts. The quality start was the fourth in a row the Dodgers received.
Kiké Hernandez dropping a routine pop up and Barnes’ throwing error into second base allowed Yasiel Puig to reach third base with one out in the ninth inning. Kemp’s sacrifice fly cut into the Dodgers’ lead before Kenley Jansen converted his fifth save of the season.
