Reds pound Latos, Dodgers

[August 14, 2015]  LOS ANGELES -- In their first meeting since Mat Latos made some critical comments about his former club and teammates, the Cincinnati Reds made him eat those words Thursday night.

Shortstop Eugenio Suarez and center fielder Billy Hamilton homered and second baseman Brandon Phillips drove in three runs as the Reds pounded Latos and the Los Angeles Dodgers 10-3 before 47,216 at Dodger Stadium on Thursday night.

Suarez, who went 3-for-5 with four RBIs, hit a three-run blast to spark a four-run surge in the sixth inning that blew the game open.

"The Suarez three-run homer really was the blow that gave us that cushion and allowed me to just pick and choose from the bullpen from that point on," Cincinnati manager Bryan Price said. "It was a big lift to us offensively, and the type of separation that we really kind of forced the hand of the other team."

Hamilton, who recorded a career-high four hits, went deep in the eighth off reliever J.P. Howell to help Cincinnati (51-62) seal only its third win in nine games.
 

"I was just hoping for a base hit," said Hamilton, who went 4-for-4 with four runs, also a career-best, and delivered his first home run since May 15, when he smacked one against the San Francisco Giants. "Got something up I could drive. I was seeing the ball pretty well today. It was something that he left out over the plate and I just drove it.

"I didn't think it was a home run. They told me to slow down. I thought it was in the gap. I don't hit home runs a lot, but when I do, it's something I can build off of."

The Reds knocked around Latos in a big way. Though they refused to gloat over it, they took some pleasure in beating the right-hander, who accused the club's training staff of rushing him back from a knee injury during the 2014 season. He also said the Reds had no leadership in their locker room, among other choice words.

Hamilton dismissed the criticism.

"He's not with us anymore," Hamilton said. "He's one of our enemies. We're going to go after him like everybody else."

Latos (4-9), who the Reds traded to the Miami Marlins during the offseason before Dodgers acquired him in a trade last month, surrendered five runs (four earned) on seven hits with seven strikeouts and an intentional walk in 4 2/3 innings.

"I've turned the page," Latos said. "It's done and over with. I've got to worry about what I've got to worry about here."

Cincinnati rookie right-hander Keyvius Sampson (2-1) allowed two runs on five hits with three strikeouts and three walks in five innings. It was Sampson's fourth major league start and his first against the Dodgers.

Center fielder Joc Pederson homered and had two RBIs for the National League West-leading Dodgers (64-51), who fell for the fifth time in seven games. Their lead in the division dropped to 2 1/2 games over the San Francisco Giants, who beat the Washington Nationals 3-1.

Hamilton's RBI single in the third gave the Reds a 1-0 lead.

Hamilton advanced to third on an errant pickoff throw by Latos that bounced into shallow right field, allowing the speedy center fielder to reach third. Hamilton, who batted ninth, scored on Phillips' run-scoring single for a 2-0 Cincinnati advantage with two outs in the inning.

A sacrifice fly by Reds left fielder Marlon Byrd in the fourth made it 3-0.

Pederson's homer, his 22nd of the season, to left with two outs in the bottom of the inning pulled Los Angeles within 3-1.

However, Cincinnati added two runs in the fifth on RBI doubles by Phillips and Suarez for a 5-1 cushion.

Dodgers first baseman Adrian Gonzalez's sacrifice fly in the bottom of the inning cut the gap to 5-2.

NOTES: Dodgers RHP Zack Greinke's major league-leading ERA dropped from 1.65 to 1.59 because of a scoring change in Los Angeles' Aug. 6 game at Philadelphia. Phillies SS Cesar Hernandez originally was credited with a bunt hit before advancing to second on a throwing error by Greinke. The play since has been ruled a two-base error. ... Dodgers 3B Justin Turner was activated from the 15-day disabled list. To make room, Los Angeles optioned INF Jose Peraza to Triple-A Oklahoma City. ... The Reds will call up LHP John Lamb from Triple-A Louisville to make his major league debut Friday against the Dodgers. Lamb, 25, was acquired last month in a deal that sent RHP Johnny Cueto to the Kansas City Royals. Lamb will face Dodgers LHP Alex Wood (7-7, 3.72 ERA).

[© 2015 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.]

Copyright 2015 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.