Will Smith the hero in Dodgers’ 5-4 win over Reds

Dodgers score three late unanswered runs to take the series by a final score of 5-4.

The Dodgers clawed their way back from a two-run deficit to steal the middle match and take the series from the Cincinnati Reds by a final score of 5-4.

Coming off a complete game shutout in his most recent start, Nick Lodolo continued his torrid second half by striking out the side in order in the top of the first. Tyler Glasnow only managed one strikeout in the bottom half, but also faced the minimum.

Freddie Freeman lined a single up the middle off the first pitch he saw from Lodolo, but the southpaw bounced back with two straight strikeouts. Tommy Edman ruined Lodolo’s chances of another shutout by slicing a two-run home run the opposite way, his seventh home run hit from the right side of the plate this season. Lodolo got a strikeout of Miguel Rojas to bring his total to six in just two innings of work.

Glasnow began to struggle with his command in the bottom of the second inning, walking two consecutive hitters after recording a strikeout for the first out. Glasnow needed just two pitches to get a double play off the bat of Noelvi Marte to escap trouble, although the two walks issued tied the same amount Glasnow had over his first two starts of the second half.

The Dodgers had the chance to provide some insurance after Mookie Betts worked a one out walk, but after Shohei Ohtani struck out for the second time, Lodolo picked off Betts in between first and second on an ill-advised steal attempt. The Dodgers once again threatened in the top of the fourth with a pair of singles from Freeman and Andy Pages, but a strikeout of Edman gave the Dodgers their first runners left on base. Lodolo would finish his night with 11 strikeouts over 5 ¹⁄₃ innings, marking the second straight game that Reds starting pitching struck out at least 10 hitters against the Dodgers.

After a leadoff walk to Austin Hays to begin the bottom of the fourth, the Reds immediately took Lodolo off the hook for the loss as Jake Fraley clobbered a slider that hung in the middle of the zone, depositing it into the right field bleacers to tie the game. Two batters later, Marte went the other way to give the Reds their first lead of the series.

Glasnow’s command went complete awry in the bottom of the fifth inning, as he walked a pair of hitters after allowing a leadoff double to load the bases with nobody out. Glasnow failed to record five innings of work for the first time since leaving early against the Pittsburgh Pirates due to injury. Glasnow’s five walks on the game tied a season high.

The Dodgers relied on both Jack Dreyer and Ben Casparius to escape the bases loaded jam, as the tandem allowed only one to score after Glasnow left the bases loaded.

Alexis Diaz came into the game in the seventh inning, facing his former team for the first time in his career. Díaz managed to get four outs, while keeping the Reds off the bases. Key base hits from both Will Smith and Freddie Freeman in the top of the seventh inning tied the game at 4, helping Glasnow turn the page on a rather forgettable outing. Smith’s heroics returned in the top of the ninth inning, as his RBI double gave the Dodgers the lead once again.

Alex Vesia was called on to for a save situation, nailing the door by retiring the side in order and giving the Dodgers a series win in Cincinnati.

Mookie Betts has enjoyed quite the series at Great American Ball Park, as he notched his second straight multi-hit game, now registering four hits in eight tries while scoring four times over the first two games of the series. The strikeouts continued to plague Shohei Ohtani on Tuesday, as he finished 0-4 with four strikeouts.

Game particulars

• Home runs— Tommy Edman (12); Jake Fraley (6), Noelvi Marte (7)
• WP— Alexis Díaz (1-0): 1 ¹⁄₃ IP, 0 hits, 0 runs, 0 walks, 0 strikeouts
• LP— Emilio Pagán (2-3): 1 IP, 1 hit, 1 earned run, 1 walk, 1 strikeout
• SV— Alex Vesia (4): 1 IP, 0 hits, 0 runs, 0 walks, 2 strikeouts

Up next

The Dodgers wrap up their three game set against the Reds on Wednesday (4:10 p.m. PT, SportsNet LA) before traveling to Tampa (not St. Petersburg) to take on the Tampa Bay Rays. Shohei Ohtani will make his seventh start of the season, and will go more than three innings for the first time as a Dodger. Right-hander Nick Martinez starts for Cincinnati.