The Los Angeles Dodgers put on a show at the plate against the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday.
Over the course of the Los Angeles’ Dodgers current winning streak, games have been decided by a small margin of victory. That was not the case on Wednesday.
The Dodgers routed the Cincinnati Reds, 14-1, to complete the sweep at UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium and notch their seventh win in a row. Almost from the jump, Los Angeles took over. Let’s get into the result:
Leading up to dominance
After a scoreless first inning, the Dodgers made sure to put points on the board in just about every one afterward.
In the bottom of the second, Los Angeles loaded the bases before Alex Freeland grounded into a double play. Even though the Reds got two outs, Teoscar Hernandez got across home plate to give the Dodgers an early 1-0 lead.
In the bottom of the third, they put points on the board emphatically in the form of a two-run home run by Mookie Betts, his 19th of the season. With a 3-0 lead, the Dodgers were warming up to blow the game open.
After starting right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto gave up a home run to Elly De La Cruz in the top of the fourth, Los Angeles’ offense stomped on any momentum being built by the Reds.
Taking over in the fourth
In the bottom of the inning, the Dodgers had four consecutive players reach base before Cincinnati could record its first out. Kyle Tucker hit a leadoff double that was followed by Hunter Feduccia drawing a walk, and Freeland hit an RBI double to make it a 4-1 game.
Enrique Hernandez got in on the action, too, hitting a two-RBI double to give his team a 6-1 advantage. Los Angeles wasn't done piling on, as Hernandez scored on a wild pitch before Teoscar Hernandez hit a two-RBI single to cap off a six-run inning.
Between the sixth and the eighth innings, the Dodgers put five more runs on the board thanks to home runs by Max Muncy, Enrique Hernandez and Tucker. By pure margin of victory, it was the largest Los Angeles has put together in the second half of the season, and the offense did it without Shohei Ohtani.
It was a dominant display by a team that has been winning but needed to prove it is still one of the best teams in baseball. To do it without Ohtani made it even more impressive.
The Dodgers got contributions from everyone, but what Betts has done lately is especially significant. The 33-year-old went 3-for-5 with two RBIs, and he has been dominant at the plate in September so far, posting a slash line of .375/.474/.750 with three home runs.
While Ohtani continues to struggle with injuries, others like Betts must be stepping up. Everyone on the Dodgers’ active roster is going to need to star in their role for this team to capture a third-straight World Series title.
