Bullpen, Scott Schebler homer lead Reds to another win over Dodgers

The Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game

Former Los Angeles Dodger Scott Schebler entered play on Saturday in a bit of a slight funk. He’d hit just .143/..242/.179 in 33 PA since the calendar had flipped to May, and while the Cincinnati Reds had found a way to win a few games in that stretch, it’s clear that they’re still going to need their thumpin’ OF to contribute in a big way both this year and going forward.

On Saturday, Schebler responded with the single biggest knock of the game, clubbing a 3-run dinger that flipped the scoreboard to the friendly side, as it would stay for the remainder of the evening. That’s the kind of big play the Reds lacked for so much of the early season but have seen in spades of late, and man, is it ever satisfying.

Honorable Mentions are due to: Scooter Gennett, who had another 3 hits (and scored a run); David Hernandez, who fired 2.1 scoreless innings of relief, fanning 3 against a lone hit allowed; Jared Hughes, who mirrored that with 1.2 IP of scoreless ball to get the save; Adam Duvall, who singled twice (and scored); Joey Votto, who singled twice; and Alex Blandino, who had a big pinch-hit RBI double.

Key Plays

• Cody Bellinger got the scoring going in the Bottom of the 3rd for the Dodgers, scooping a solo dinger into the RF seats to put the Reds behind, 1-0.
• Joc Pederson dug out a low pitch from Homer Bailey for a single into RF with 2-out in the Bottom of the 4th, which stung because Austin Barnes was on 2B (after singling and moving up via sac-bunt). Barnes, as ‘stung’ was meant to imply, scored, and the Reds trailed, 2-0.
• The Reds finally got on the board in the Top of the 5th with a 2-out hit of their own, as Jesse Winker dropped a single into CF with Duvall on 2B (who was there after he’d singled and moved up on Bailey’s sac bunt). Reds trailed, 2-1.
• If you look hard enough, you’ll find a few bits on the interwebs about who ‘Max Muncy’ is. Former 5th round draft pick for Oakland, released, signed by the Dodgers for a song...etc. Well, Muncy cracked a double down the RF off Bailey right after Chris Taylor had doubled, too, and that put the Reds in a 3-1 hole.
• The Top of the 6th saw J.T. Chargois come on for the Dodgers after Ross Stripling was finally removed from the game following Gennett’s 1-out single. An infield single from Eugenio Suarez later, and Schebler belted his 3-run dinger, an opposite field shot that put the Reds in front, 4-3. Barnhart then doubled to the continued dismay of the Dodger Stadium crowd, and after Duvall K’d, Alex Blandino doubled in Tucker with a shot just inside the LF line. Reds led, 5-3, and thanks to the bullpen that’s exactly how things ended.

Tony Graphanino

Other Notes

• Homer Bailey was better on Saturday than he had been in recent memory, though that’s not exactly a ringing endorsement. He allowed 10 hits in his 5 IP, walking 2 against 4 Ks, and somehow managed to make that only add up to 3 ER on 81 pitches.
• Luis Castillo will take the mound on Sunday in the series finale with the Dodgers, and he’ll do so with eyes on his third consecutive solid start after a brutal beginning to his sophomore season. Rich Hill will start for Los Angeles, with first pitch set for 4:10 PM ET.
• Tunes.