Spencer Steer delivered a go-ahead two-run triple in the eighth inning to lead the Cincinnati Reds to a 5-2 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday night at Great American Ball Park. The result prevented a series sweep and marked the continuation of Cincinnati’s season-long streak of avoiding sweeps, which now stands at 35 series.
Los Angeles entered the game as road favorites with moneyline odds around -145, while Cincinnati was listed near +125. The projected over/under for total runs was set at 9.5. The teams combined for seven runs, with the decisive blow coming late in the game.
Dodgers two-way player Shohei Ohtani made his seventh pitching start of the season, continuing his return from Tommy John surgery. However, the outing was cut short during the fourth inning. With no outs and a 2-0 count to Steer, Ohtani threw six consecutive balls, including two wild pitches, before being removed from the game with a trainer. He had been scheduled to pitch four innings and threw 51 pitches in total, 32 for strikes. Ohtani remained in the game as the designated hitter but went hitless in five at-bats.
Freddie Freeman gave the Dodgers a 2-0 lead in the fourth inning with a two-run home run, his 17th of the season. The advantage held until the eighth, when Cincinnati mounted its comeback against reliever Emmet Sheehan, who entered with the game tied 2-2.
After issuing walks to Austin Hays and Tyler Stephenson, Sheehan faced Steer in a long at-bat that reached 11 pitches. On the final pitch, Steer drove the ball deep to center field, where James Outman, recently inserted into the game, leaped at the wall but could not secure the catch. The ball popped out of his glove and both baserunners scored to give the Reds a 4-2 lead. Will Benson followed with a single to drive in Steer, extending Cincinnati’s lead to three runs. It was Benson’s second RBI of the game.
Sheehan took the loss, falling to 0-3 on the season. Earlier in Steer’s at-bat, left fielder Andy Pages had a chance to end the inning but dropped a foul fly ball while attempting a leaping catch near the stands, giving Steer an extra opportunity.
Scott Barlow earned the win in relief, recording the final two outs of the eighth inning to improve to 4-0. Tony Santillan pitched a scoreless ninth to collect his third save of the year.
The Reds improved to 51-48 and remain the only team in Major League Baseball this season that has not been swept in any series. The previous club record for consecutive series without a sweep was 32, set by the 1970 team that won the National League pennant.
Cincinnati continues its homestand on Thursday when left-hander Andrew Abbott (8-1, 2.09 ERA) is scheduled to start against the Atlanta Braves. The Dodgers are off Thursday before beginning a weekend series in Tampa Bay, where left-hander Clayton Kershaw (4-2, 3.62 ERA) is expected to start Friday’s opener.
