Clayton Kershaw delivered five strong innings and the Los Angeles Dodgers used a big sixth inning to pull away from the Cincinnati Reds in a 6-3 win on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium. The victory marked the Dodgers’ third straight, keeping them a game ahead of the San Diego Padres in the National League West standings after San Diego edged Seattle 7-6.
Kershaw (9-2) earned his 221st career win, tying him with former Dodger Max Scherzer and Joe Niekro for 76th place on baseball’s all-time list. The veteran left-hander allowed one run on two hits while striking out six across 87 pitches. Despite a shortened outing, Kershaw maintained command throughout, helping steady Los Angeles as the team continues to navigate an intense division race.
The Dodgers broke the game open in the sixth inning, batting around and scoring four runs against Cincinnati’s bullpen. Will Smith sparked the surge with a leadoff home run to left field off reliever Brent Suter, his 19th of the season. Later in the inning, Miguel Rojas came off the bench to deliver a pinch-hit two-run double, and Shohei Ohtani added an RBI single to extend the lead to 6-1.
Cincinnati starter Nick Martinez (10-10) absorbed the loss after giving up four runs and seven hits over 5 1/3 innings. He struck out three and walked two. The right-hander held the Dodgers in check early but faltered after Kiké Hernández’s sacrifice fly in the fourth gave Los Angeles a 2-1 lead.
Hernández, making his first start since coming off the injured list, played a pivotal role offensively and defensively. He went 2 for 3 with a run scored, a strikeout, and the go-ahead sacrifice fly. He also ended the game by starting a double play to secure the victory.
The Reds attempted a late comeback, cutting into the deficit with Austin Hays’ two-run homer in the eighth inning and an RBI groundout from Miguel Andújar. But closer Tanner Scott shut the door in the ninth, earning his 20th save of the season by retiring the side in order.
Los Angeles collected 10 hits overall, with Smith, Ohtani, and Hernández each contributing key moments. Ohtani, who had an RBI single in the decisive sixth inning, is slated to take the mound in Wednesday’s series finale in front of a sellout crowd on his bobblehead night.
The Dodgers improved to 77-55, maintaining their slim edge over San Diego with just over a month left in the regular season. Cincinnati dropped to 68-63 and remains in the thick of the National League wild-card race but faces mounting pressure as September approaches.
Oddsmakers had the Dodgers as -175 favorites entering the game, with the Reds listed at +145. The over/under was set at 8.5 runs, and the contest ended just under that total with nine combined runs.
The series concludes Wednesday when Reds left-hander Nick Lodolo (8-6, 3.05 ERA) faces Ohtani (0-1, 4.61 ERA). Lodolo will try to help Cincinnati avoid a sweep, while Ohtani seeks his first pitching win since joining the Dodgers.