Top of the third, smooth sailing for Jason Schmidt

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Jason Schmidt flied out to right field in the bottom of the second inning and retakes the mound for the third. His pitch speed has reached the mid-80s on his fastball, with 87 being the fastest he’s thrown. He faces the Reds’ Nos. 3, 4 and 5 hitters: Joey Votto, Brandon Phillips and Laynce Nix.

Votto bloops the first pitch into shallow left field, and shortstop Rafael Furcal tracks it down. One away.

Phillips dribbles an inside curve right back to Schmidt, who throws to first for the out. Two down.

Nix flies out to left field, also on the first pitch, to end the inning. Schmidt threw five pitches and worked through the middle of the order without any trouble. He seems to have found a groove.

The score remains 6-3 Dodgers.

-- Bill Brink