The Cincinnati Reds arrived on the West Coast riding the momentum of their third straight series win, but the trip opened with a familiar kind of frustration. Against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday night, the Reds left chances on the table, made costly mistakes, and came away with a 6-3 loss.
It was also the first meeting between the teams since last season’s playoff series, and once again the Dodgers had enough firepower to get the better of Cincinnati.
Chase Burns was sharp again, even in a short outing. The Reds’ ace, who has been one of the brightest stories of the 2026 season and earned an All-Star selection, worked just three innings but still piled up five strikeouts on 44 pitches. From a fan’s perspective, it was another reminder of how dominant he can be - and how much more he might have done with a longer night.
Brandon Williamson took over in the fourth after spending a long stretch on the injured list and making his first appearance since April in the win over the San Diego Padres on September 2nd. He entered with Cincinnati up 1-0, but the game started slipping in the fifth when a rare throwing error by third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes helped the Dodgers push across two runs and grab the lead. It was the first of two errors for Hayes on the night.
The damage got worse in the sixth. Teoscar Hernandez launched a three-run homer, and that swing effectively finished the Reds off.
Williamson ended up going 4 1/3 innings, allowing three earned runs while striking out four and walking five on 86 pitches.
Cincinnati did get solo homers from Elly De La Cruz and Eugenio Suarez, but that was about the extent of the offense. Dodgers starter Emmet Sheehan turned in a career night, striking out 10 for the first time in the majors.
The Reds had their chances, too many of them, and couldn’t cash in. They stranded 11 runners on base.
The series continues Tuesday night, with Nick Lodolo set to face Tarik Skubal in another late start. First pitch is scheduled for 10:10 p.m. ET.
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Elly De La Cruz Just Turned One Wild Night Into A Bigger Reds Conversation
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For Cincinnati, the significance goes beyond one highlight reel sequence. De La Cruzs arm was the hardest by any fielder this season according to Statcast, and the kind of play that can change the feel of a game in an instant. When he pairs that kind of defensive flash with the ability to drive the ball, it only sharpens the bigger conversation around how much of the Reds ceiling is tied to his presence in the middle of everything. [Read more 🡒]