INSTANT REACTION: Reds' Bats Fail to Deliver in 5-2 Loss to Dodgers

CINCINNATI -- Sometimes, you just run into a really good team and what they do best. That's what happened to the Reds Monday night against the reigning World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers and their starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

Yamamoto silenced the Reds lineup through seven innings, before giving way to the Dodgers bullpen to wrap up a 5-2 win.

The Reds had the bases loaded in the bottom of the first, but they could only come away with one run. They squandered other chances early in the game to take the lead, before the Dodgers ultimately got the big hits in the mid-to-late innings to put the game out of reach.

Shohei Ohtani, last year's National League MVP, had the go-ahead two-run double in the top of the fifth to give the Dodgers a 3-1 lead. Teoscar Hernandez and 2024 World Series MVP Freddie Freeman delivered RBI singles in the top of the seventh to break the game open.

Let's look at the key takeaways from Monday night's 5-2 loss to the Dodgers:

Reds Lineup Silenced By Yamamoto

When it comes to the Dodgers pitching, you know names like Shohei Ohtani and Clayton Kershaw. Another name to know is Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

He's in his second season with the Dodgers, and he has emerged as a really good right-handed pitcher. Durable and stingy, Yamamoto pitched seven innings of one-run baseball Monday night against the Reds, allowing one earned run- on a groundout in the first inning- on just four hits and two walks while striking out nine. He threw 101 pitches, 65 of them for strikes.

This is Yamamoto's fifth start this season pitching seven innings, including his third this month alone.

Monday night was a night the Reds lineup just ran into a really good pitcher and just couldn't get the big hit to take the lead. Against a good team like the Dodgers, sometimes it's just tip your cap and move on to the next game the next night.

Chase Burns Battles Against Elite Dodgers Offense

Burns now has 10 strikeouts in three straight starts. For a young pitcher making just his sixth career start, he is proving to be an absolute flame-thrower.

It's a historic stretch Burns is on right now. Keep in mind, most of his starts have come in high-leverage and games against the elite teams in both the National and American Leagues.

Facing a Dodgers offense that featured eight players with 10 home runs entering Monday night, Burns went 5 2/3 innings and allowed just three earned runs, one walk, and six hits while striking out 10. He threw 91 pitches, with 65 thrown for strikes.

Burns has pitched against some of MLB's elite offenses and toughest environments. However, that is a good thing. This will only make Burns tougher and more battle-tested when he pitches in September and, hopefully, October.

Notes And Observations

The Reds only two runs came on an RBI groundout by Gavin Lux in the bottom of the first and Will Benson's RBI single in the bottom of the ninth. Lux played for the Dodgers on their World Series winning team in 2024.
The Reds had two hits in the bottom of the first inning. They had four hits the rest of the game.
Four of the six Reds hits came from the top of their lineup.
Seven of the Dodgers nine starting hitters had hits.
Cincinnati was 2-7 with runners in scoring position and left six runners on base.
Los Angeles went 6-15 with runners in scoring position and left 10 runners on base.
The Reds had to use five relievers to get through the final 3 1/3 innings of the game.

On Deck

The series between the Reds and Dodges continues Tuesday night at Great American Ball Park.

Reds left-hander Nick Lodolo (8-6, 3.07 ERA) will look to win his fourth straight start as he faces Dodgers right-hander Tyler Glasnow (1-1, 2.75 ERA).

First pitch is at 7:10 E.T. on FanDuel Sports Network Cincinnati and 700WLW.