Teoscar Hernandez keeps finding the same sweet spot against the Reds, and on Tuesday night it delivered another Dodgers win.
Hernandez came through with a two-out RBI single in the fifth inning, breaking a tie and sending Los Angeles to a 3-2 victory over Cincinnati on Sept. 8. It was his third hit of the night, and it extended a remarkable run: he has now hit safely against the Reds in 17 straight games.
The Dodgers had already taken the opener of the series Monday behind Hernandez’s three-run homer in a 6-3 win, which means Los Angeles has clinched the set. Cincinnati, meanwhile, saw its streak of winning three straight series against the Chicago Cubs, San Diego Padres and Milwaukee Brewers come to an end. The Reds also remain stuck in a miserable stretch at Dodger Stadium, where they’ve dropped nine straight.
Cincinnati still had its own fireworks. Trailing 2-0 in the third inning, Elly De La Cruz turned on Tarik Skubal’s first pitch - an 88 miles an hour change-up - and sent it 444 feet, the longest homer in Dodger Stadium this year, the longest home run hit off Skubal this season and the longest of De La Cruz’s 25 home runs this year.
And he wasn’t done making noise.
In the bottom of the third, Hernandez drove a ball to center field with two outs and nobody on. Dane Myers went for the diving catch, missed it, and the ball skipped to the wall.
Hernandez tried to stretch it into an inside-the-park homer, but De La Cruz took the relay and fired home. Hernandez was cut down by 10 feet on a throw StatCast measured at 105.3 miles an hour, nearly matching the 109.4 miles an hour exit velocity on De La Cruz’s homer.
StatCast later removed the 105.3 reading.
“Elly hit that change-up to the moon,” Reds manager Tito Francona told reporters. “That gave us a chance, but Skubal can roll up some double plays (two) and he’s a little bit hard to run on. He’s kinda got the whole package.”
On De La Cruz’s throw, Francona said: “That was one of the better throws you’ll ever see and I mean ever,” he said. “I turn on the old videos and see throws by Dave Parker and Roberto Clemente. They might be showing that one (De La Cruz’s).”
Los Angeles had jumped in front early. Will Smith homered in the first for a 1-0 lead, then the Dodgers added another run in the second. Teoscar Hernandez opened that inning with a walk, Max Muncy followed with a single, Kike Hernandez drew a four-pitch walk to load the bases, and Tommy Edman was hit by a pitch to force in a run.
Lodolo then settled in enough to keep Cincinnati close, and De La Cruz’s blast tied it at 2-2 in the third. But the Dodgers answered in the fifth when Teoscar Hernandez poked a 3-and-1 change-up into right field for the go-ahead run, ending Lodolo’s night.
Lodolo (3-4) worked 4⅔ innings and allowed three runs on five hits, with three walks, two hit batters and six strikeouts.
“I thought early that he wasn’t commanding,” said Francona. “He got into the third, fourth and fifth, I thought he was better.
“I was kinda fighting it because I know Hernandez is not a good match-up for him, but I really wanted him to get through the fifth,” he added. “That would have been good for him.
“But Hernandez reached out and poked a 3-and-1 change-up into right field.”
Skubal (9-7) handled the rest of Cincinnati’s offense after De La Cruz’s homer, allowing two runs and four hits over 7⅓ innings while walking two and striking out five. The Reds managed just three other hits against him, and he induced 12 ground-ball outs.
“He’s got all the weapons,” said Francona. “He has the fastball that’s upper 90’s, breaking ball, change-up.”
Cincinnati threatened again in the eighth when De La Cruz doubled with two outs, but Sal Stewart struck out on a 102 miles an hour fastball from Edgardo Henriquez after an ABS challenge overturned the ball call to strike three.
De La Cruz has now reached base at least twice in 12 straight games.
The Reds made one last push in the ninth. Tanner Scott walked Tyler Stephenson to open the inning, and Stephenson has now walked in all three of his plate appearances against Scott.
Carlos Jorge ran for Stephenson and advanced to second on a steal before Eugenio Suarez struck out on three pitches. JJ Bleday then struck out on four pitches, and Jose Trevino grounded out to shortstop.
Cincinnati is 24-15 in one-run games, while the Dodgers are 30-22.
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