Dodgers Crush Reds Behind Yamamoto, Seven-Run Power Display
The Dodgers spent much of the summer searching for nights when their dominant pitching and loaded lineup would finally show up together.
Wednesday was one of those nights.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto struck out 10 over seven innings, while the Dodgers' offense erupted behind home runs from Mookie Betts, Max Muncy, Kiké Hernández and Kyle Tucker as Los Angeles overwhelmed Cincinnati at Dodger Stadium.
By the end of the eighth inning, the Dodgers had built a 14-1 lead, with 14 hits and contributions throughout the lineup.
It was the most complete offensive performance of their recent surge — and it came without Shohei Ohtani or Freddie Freeman in the starting lineup.
Yamamoto Dominates Cincinnati
Yamamoto looked sharp almost immediately.
He struck out Elly De La Cruz in the first inning and then erased Sal Stewart's single by picking him off first base. He followed with two strikeouts in a perfect second and continued piling up swings and misses throughout the night.
Cincinnati's only real damage came from De La Cruz in the fourth.
The Reds shortstop drove a solo home run to center field for his 26th homer of the season, extending his home-run streak to five consecutive games.
Yamamoto did not allow anything else.
His final line:
7 IP | 3 H | 1 ER | 1 BB | 10 K
The 10 strikeouts matched his Major League career high and continued a recent stretch in which his strikeout totals have climbed as October approaches. He had recorded at least eight strikeouts in four consecutive starts entering Wednesday.
For a Dodgers rotation already featuring Tarik Skubal, Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow, Yamamoto continues to look every bit like one of the arms Los Angeles can build a postseason series around.
Dodgers Strike First Without a Hit From Freeland
Los Angeles opened the scoring in the second.
Teoscar Hernández singled and Kyle Tucker followed with another single, putting runners at the corners. Hunter Feduccia reached on a fielder's choice before Alex Freeland grounded into a double play.
It was still productive.
Hernández scored from third, giving the Dodgers a 1-0 lead.
The inning was an example of something the Dodgers have talked about repeatedly during their offensive struggles: not every run needs to come on a home run.
They would get plenty of those later.
Betts Goes Deep Again
Will Smith doubled with one out in the third, bringing Betts to the plate.
Betts drove Rhett Lowder's pitch into left-center for a two-run homer, his 19th of the season.
The Dodgers suddenly led 3-0.
Betts' recent improvement has become an increasingly important part of Los Angeles' September turnaround.
He added two more singles later in the game and finished with three hits, three runs and two RBIs.
For a player who endured a difficult offensive season by his standards, Betts is beginning to look far more dangerous as the postseason approaches.
Six-Run Fourth Breaks the Game Open
Then came the inning that effectively ended the competitive portion of the night.
Tucker opened the bottom of the fourth with a double.
Feduccia walked.
Freeland, who has been under scrutiny since returning from Triple-A, delivered an RBI double to center field to make it 4-1.
It was a much-needed hit for Freeland after his slow start since being recalled Sept. 1.
Kiké Hernández followed with a two-run double, scoring Feduccia and Freeland.
Dodgers 6, Reds 1.
A wild pitch brought Kiké home for another run.
Then Smith walked, Betts singled, and another wild pitch moved both runners into scoring position.
Teoscar Hernández finished the rally with a two-run single.
By the time the inning finally ended, Los Angeles had scored six runs and built a 9-1 lead.
It was the kind of sustained rally the Dodgers too often failed to produce during their difficult July and August stretches.
This time there was no reliance on a single swing.
Doubles.
Walks.
Wild pitches.
Singles.
Pressure throughout the inning.
Cincinnati had no answer.
Teoscar Keeps Producing
Hernández's strong September continued.
He singled and scored in the second, drove in two runs during the fourth-inning explosion and was removed for defense once the game became a blowout.
He finished 2-for-3 with two RBIs and two runs scored.
His recent turnaround has been one of the most significant developments in the Dodgers lineup.
Only a short time ago, his playing time against right-handed pitching had become a legitimate question.
Since then, Teoscar has delivered a walk-off double, a three-run homer, a three-hit game and a steady stream of run-producing at-bats.
His bat appears to be heating up at exactly the time Los Angeles hoped it would.
Muncy Adds More Power
The Dodgers weren't finished.
Betts singled again in the sixth, and Max Muncy followed by launching a two-run home run to right field.
It was Muncy's 27th homer of the season, extending the lead to 11-1.
Muncy has quietly remained one of the most reliable power sources in the Dodgers lineup this season.
With Ohtani unavailable Wednesday and Freeman also sitting because of right-knee soreness, Los Angeles needed its remaining veterans to carry more of the offensive load.
They did.
Kiké Homers as Dodgers Keep Pouring It On
Freeland walked to begin the seventh.
Kiké Hernández then added another big swing, launching a two-run home run to left field for his third homer of the season.
That pushed the advantage to 13-1.
Kiké finished with a double, home run and four RBIs, making him one of the game's biggest offensive contributors from the bottom of the order.
That's another encouraging sign for a Dodgers team thinking ahead to October.
Kiké's regular-season numbers have never fully captured his value to this organization. His ability to move around the field and his history of postseason production make any offensive momentum particularly noteworthy this time of year.
Tucker Finally Gets One
Kyle Tucker entered the night in a difficult offensive stretch.
He had gone hitless in his previous four games and was batting just .221 entering Wednesday.
He began changing that early with a second-inning single and a fourth-inning double.
Then, in the eighth, Tucker faced an unusual opponent.
With the game completely out of hand, Cincinnati turned to catcher Jose Trevino to pitch.
Tucker drove a pitch out to right-center for his 13th home run of the season, extending the Dodgers' lead to 14-1.
It completed a three-hit night and gave Los Angeles four different home-run hitters.
For Tucker, simply putting together several quality swings after a quiet stretch was another positive takeaway.
Dodgers Do It Without Ohtani and Freeman
Perhaps the most striking part of the offensive explosion was who wasn't involved.
Ohtani missed his sixth game in seven days as the Dodgers continue monitoring his right biceps and other physical issues. His injured-list status remains under consideration, although no move has been announced.
Freeman was also out of the lineup because of soreness in his right knee.
Roberts said Freeman's issue is not currently considered an IL situation, and the Dodgers hope the combination of Wednesday's rest and Thursday's scheduled off day will help him be ready for the weekend series in Miami.
Yet without two of the biggest hitters in baseball, the Dodgers still produced their biggest offensive outburst of the series.
That says something about the depth of the lineup when it is functioning properly.
Freeland Finally Gets a Big Hit
Freeland's performance deserves attention after the conversation surrounding his roster spot.
He entered Wednesday just 1-for-12 since being recalled, while James Tibbs III continued putting up huge numbers at Triple-A Oklahoma City.
Freeland didn't suddenly erase that debate.
But his fourth-inning RBI double was exactly the kind of moment the Dodgers wanted to see.
He also walked twice and scored twice.
If Los Angeles intends to keep using him at second base while Tommy Edman receives time in center field, offensive contributions like Wednesday's will go a long way toward justifying that roster construction.
Yamamoto Hands It to the Bullpen With a Huge Lead
After seven dominant innings, Yamamoto's night was finished.
Blake Treinen worked the eighth.
Cincinnati collected two singles, but Treinen struck out two hitters and escaped without allowing a run, aided by Tucker's sliding catch in right field to end the inning.
That gave the Dodgers another encouraging inning from Treinen as he continues rebuilding his role after returning from the injured list.
More importantly, the pitching staff never allowed Cincinnati any path back into the game.
Dodgers' September Turnaround Is Getting Serious
A little more than a week ago, the Dodgers opened September with consecutive losses to St. Louis.
The offense looked inconsistent.
Ohtani was hurting.
Questions about the bullpen, lineup and postseason seed were piling up.
Then Teoscar walked off the Cardinals.
Los Angeles swept Washington.
The Dodgers took the first two games from Cincinnati.
And Wednesday turned into an offensive avalanche.
If the 14-1 advantage held through the ninth, it would give Los Angeles seven consecutive victories and back-to-back series sweeps entering Thursday's off day.
More importantly, the way the Dodgers are playing has changed.
The starting rotation is carrying games.
Betts is producing again.
Teoscar is hot.
Smith is back.
Muncy is driving the baseball.
Tucker showed signs of life Wednesday.
And even with Ohtani and Freeman unavailable, the lineup found more than enough offense.
For months, Dodgers fans waited for this roster to look like the powerhouse everyone expected.
Wednesday night offered perhaps the clearest glimpse yet.