Wednesday, May 28, 2014
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Greinke Fans 11 As Dodgers Dump Reds

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[May 28, 2014]  LOS ANGELES -- Another quality outing by Zack Greinke and the bat of Andre Ethier lifted the Los Angeles Dodgers to victory again.

Ethier homered and drove in a season-high four runs, sparking the Dodgers to a 6-3 win over the Cincinnati Reds at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday night.

Greinke dictated on the mound for much of the game, but the string of 22 games in which he allowed two earned runs or fewer was snapped with two outs in the eighth inning. Cincinnati catcher Devin Mesoraco tagged him for a two-run homer, cutting the Dodgers' lead to 6-3.

Greinke (8-1) struck out 11, tying a career best, while allowing three runs on eight hits in 7 2/3 innings.

The right-hander said his changeup was a big key in keeping the Reds off balance.

"Today, they had a bunch of lefties, and they're pretty good (at hitting) a lot of pitches, but that's my best pitch to lefties," said Greinke, who threw 104 pitches (74 strikes). "I try to use it as much as possible without using it every time, but it's always a pitch I'm comfortable using."

Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said Greinke, who joined Adam Wainwright as the National League's only eight-game winners, again showed why he is one of the best pitchers in baseball.
 


"Kind of typical Zack," Mattingly said. "He just does what he does every time out. Consistency is just pretty amazing with him. His repertoire and the way he's able to do it with the baseball is fun to watch."

Los Angeles closer Kenley Jansen retired the side in order in the ninth for his 16th save.

The Dodgers (29-24) won for the sixth time in eight games and handed the Reds (22-28) their fourth consecutive defeat.

"We were able to get some runs early and take a little bit of pressure off our offense," said Ethier, the Los Angeles center fielder who also tripled and went 2-for-4.

Dodgers right fielder Yasiel Puig, who went 1-for-2 with a walk and a hit-by-pitch, reached base for the 28th game in a row.

Reds starter Alfredo Simon lasted just 3 2/3 innings, surrendering five runs on five hits with four walks (one intentional) and two strikeouts. Simon (6-3) gave up only one run in 14 2/3 innings in his previous two outings.

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"Sometimes, your effort level goes up and you try so hard that you get away from the strength," Cincinnati manager Bryan Price said. "His strength, besides having good stuff, has been to execute quality pitches, but that got away from him a little bit in the fourth (inning)."

That was the inning when the Dodgers broke up a 1-0 game by scoring four runs. With Greinke setting the tone, it too much for the Reds to overcome.


After Crawford and Puig reached on back-to-back singles in the fourth, Simon loaded the bases by issuing an intentional pass to first baseman Adrian Gonzalez with one out. Ethier, who hit a solo home run in the second inning, followed with a bases-clearing triple down the right field line for a 4-0 Los Angeles lead.

"We talked about Gonzalez, that we might go after him early in the at-bat, but if we fell behind we were going to walk him to set up the double play," Price said. "Ethier just got a pitch to hit, and he hit it and we couldn't stop the bleeding."

Third baseman Chone Figgins added an RBI single to make it 5-0.

Dodgers left fielder Carl Crawford left the game in the eighth inning due to a sprained left ankle.

The Reds got their other run in the fifth when first baseman Donald Lutz doubled and scored on left fielder Roger Bernadina's single.

NOTES: Dodgers CF Matt Kemp, who struck out as an eighth-inning pinch hitter, was not in the starting lineup for the fifth consecutive game as the club transitions him to a possible platoon role in left field. Kemp worked out in left before the game and looked good, according to manager Don Mattingly. ... Dodgers SS Hanley Ramirez returned to the starting lineup after missing three games with a strained calf. He went 1-for-4. ... RHP Carlos Marmol agreed to a minor league deal with the Reds. The Miami Marlins released Marmol on May 19 after he recorded an 8.10 ERA in 15 appearances. ... Dodgers announcer Vin Scully missed his second game in a row due to a chest cold, but he is expected to return Wednesday. ... The game drew a crowd of 46,013.

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