Sportsnaut
Jake Fraley and Spencer Steer hit home runs as the visiting Cincinnati Reds continued their strong play against the Los Angeles Dodgers by holding on for a 6-5 victory Friday in the opener of a three-game series.
Elly De La Cruz tripled to open the game and scored on a TJ Friedl groundout as the Reds improved to 3-1 this season against the first-place Dodgers. Left-hander Brandon Williamson (3-2) gave up two runs on eight hits over 5 2/3 innings with four walks and two strikeouts.
Reds All-Star closer Alexis Diaz recorded the final four outs for his 31st save in 32 chances.
Freddie Freeman drove in a pair of runs and Amed Rosario had an RBI and two hits in his Dodgers debut, but Los Angeles fell to 1-3 to start their first homestand of the second half.
J.D. Martinez had an RBI double and rookie right-hander Bobby Miller (6-2) recovered from a bumpy first inning to give up three runs on six hits over five innings with no walks and six strikeouts.
After Friedl gave the Reds a 1-0 lead two batters into the game, Matt McLain doubled and Fraley hit a home run down the right field line for a 3-0 lead.
The Dodgers got one run back in the bottom of the first when Freeman walked and scored on a Martinez double, then pulled within a run in the fourth when Rosario doubled and scored on a Miguel Rojas single. Rosario was acquired from the Cleveland Guardians on Wednesday.
The Reds took a 6-2 lead in the seventh as Steer hit a one-out home run against right-hander Yency Almonte, Friedl was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, and McLain followed with a bases-loaded walk to end Almonte’s night.
The Dodgers pulled within a run at 6-5 in the seventh on a two-run single from Freeman and Rosario’s RBI single.
The Reds earned the victory just hours after manager David Bell agreed to a three-year contract extension through 2026.
–Field Level Media
