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 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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