Dodgers Come Up Empty Against Reds

At least statistically, the Cincinnati Reds are the worst-pitching club in the major leagues.

So how does that reflect on the Dodgers?

Players raised the question Wednesday night after another light-hitting effort in a 3-0 shutout loss to the Reds before 21,402 at Great American Ball Park.

“It’s fine and dandy to be a good team on paper, but the bottom line is getting it done during the season when it counts, and against teams you’re expected to get it done against,” said Todd Hundley, who struck out with runners on first and third to end the game.

“Every year, you look back and say, ‘We should have beaten this team, we should have crushed this team or that one-run game cost us.’ Oh, yeah, of course, we’re going to look back on all these games. We’ll look back tomorrow, think about today and regret it.”

Chris Reitsma (1-0) frustrated the Dodgers over eight innings in his first big league appearance this season, delivering the second strong start in as many nights for the Reds’ new-look rotation. He also had a two-run single in the fourth to extend Cincinnati’s lead to 3-0, and induced four double-play grounders, including two from Adrian Beltre, back in the opening lineup after not starting four games in a seven-game span.

Reitsma outperformed Darren Dreifort (1-2) in earning his first victory as a starter since July 15, 2002. He got more help than Paul Wilson did in losing the opener of the three-game series, 2-1, to the Dodgers despite an effective 7 2/3-inning effort.

Dreifort gave up seven hits in five innings -- including a home run to former Dodger Juan Castro, the No. 8 batter, in the third.

Closer Scott Williamson made things interesting in a 26-pitch ninth, walking Brian Jordan with one out and giving up a single to Fred McGriff. Beltre, who was hitless in four at-bats, flied out to drop his average to .177 and cap another forgettable night.

Hundley, hitting for Alex Cora, represented the tying run. But the switch-hitter, batting left-handed against the right-handed Williamson, went away swinging. Williamson had his fourth save, and the Dodgers had more to consider in a 9-12 start that’s not getting easier, as they expected.

“It is tiresome,” said leadoff batter Dave Roberts, who extended his career-high hitting streak to 10 games. “Obviously, I’m not going to say, ‘Oh, it’s early,’ because it’s 21 games into the season. There have only been a few games where we really swung the bat well.

“There have been a couple of performances where guys just really threw great games. But for the most part, whether we score runs or don’t score runs, I don’t think it’s because of the pitcher just dominating us. It’s a matter of us not making adjustments, or whatever it is.”

The Dodgers had nine hits, including eight against Reitsma, who was recalled Saturday from triple-A Louisville. The right-hander threw 63 strikes in 104 pitches, striking out two and walking one.

On Tuesday, Wilson gave up only seven hits and two earned runs. And this from a club at the bottom of the majors with a 6.15 earned-run average.

“It makes no difference what their ERA is going into any game,” Jordan said. “On that day, if they throw a great game, they throw a great game. When [Reitsma] needed a groundball double play, he got it. It was one of those days where everything he was throwing was a pretty good pitch.

“He had a nasty changeup, he kept us off-balance, and we weren’t as patient as we should have been. Today, Reitsma proved that he belongs up here in the major leagues. We were fortunate to get two runs off [Wilson on Tuesday]. Tonight, we just couldn’t get it together.”

Dreifort couldn’t get it together in the fourth.

The Reds loaded the bases on a walk and two singles, but Castro popped up in the infield for the first out. With the infield in, Reitsma singled under the glove of second baseman Cora, driving in Aaron Boone and Adam Dunn.

As he often does, Dreifort took responsibility for the loss.

“If you’re not scoring runs,” Dreifort said, “don’t give up any runs.”