The Short Version: Behind a strong start from Luis Castillo, the Reds win 3-2 to run the season series against Los Angeles to a pristine 6-0. The victory means that it is impossible for the Cincinnati Reds to lose 100 games this year. What a time to be alive.
| Final | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles Dodgers (78-67) | 1 | 5 | 0 |
| Cincinnati Reds (63-83) | 3 | 10 | 0 |
| W: Castillo (9-12) L: Ryu (4-3) S: Iglesias (26) | |||
| FanGraphs Win Probability | Box Score | |||
The Good
–Outstanding start by Luis Castillo: 6.1 innings, one run allowed on four hits and one walk. Castillo struck out nine Dodgers. This is good.
–Scooter Gennett continued his march to the National League batting title with a 2 for 3 night, including a walk and an RBI. Scooter’s batting average now sits at .321; at press time, Milwaukee’s Christian Yelich (who definitely does not play for the Cincinnati Reds) was second with a .315 average (through two at-bats tonight).
–Scott Schebler was 2 for 4 with a home run (his 16th) and two runs scored. Jose Peraza had two hits, including his 30th double of the season. Brandon Dixon homered and walked, and Eugenio Suarez had a couple of base knocks.
–David Hernandez entered the game in the seventh with bases loaded and two outs. He did what David Hernandez does: induce a ground ball to end the inning.
The Bad
–Nope.
Not-So-Random Thoughts
–Your Cincinnati Reds are 6-0 against the Los Angeles Dodgers this season. I clearly don’t understand baseball.
–After starting 3-18, I’ll concede that I thought the Reds were a lead-pipe cinch to lose 100 games. But after tonight, they can’t lose more than 99!
–Luis Castillo has made nine starts since the All-Star break. In those starts: 62 strikeouts, 9 walks. That’ll do, Luis. That’ll do.
–I know the “third time through the lineup” thing is real…but who cares about wins and losses at this point? I really wanted to see Castillo try to work his way out of a self-created jam in the seventh. (But I’m glad Sal Romano and David Hernandez worked out of the jam.)
–The Reds broke open a scoreless tie when Brandon Dixon hit a solo homer with one out in the bottom of the second. They picked up another run in the following inning when Scott Schebler led off with a solo homer.
In the fifth, Schebler reached on an infield single, Peraza singled, and Gennett drove Schebler home, giving the Reds a 3-0 lead. That would be enough to secure the victory.
Today’s Tweets
In the last 4 games, Brandon Dixon started at 2B, 3B, RF and 1B. According to @EliasSports, he is the first Reds player to start 4 consecutive games at 4 different positions since Jerry Hairston Jr. started at 2B, SS, CF and RF from 9/18-9/21, 2008.
— Reds Media Relations (@RedsPR) September 12, 2018
David Hernandez has inherited 23 runners this season. Three have scored. Escaped a bases-loaded jam vs. Dodgers tonight. #Reds
— Bobby Nightengale (@nightengalejr) September 12, 2018
…and your nighttime reading assignment:
Another September of meaningless games turns a once-baseball-mad city to apathy. https://t.co/NEjF7eZc47 via @dotsonc
— Cincinnati Magazine (@CincinnatiMag) September 11, 2018