Reds beat Dodgers, 5-0; hand Hyun-Jin Ryu first road loss of season

KEY MOMENT: The game was scoreless in the third inning, when Hyun-jin Ryu got the first two outs, then two strikes on Billy Hamilton. But Hamilton worked the count, which went from 0 and 2 to an eight-pitch walk. Ryu, one pitch from a 1-2-3 inning, then walked Todd Frazier and gave up a two-run double to Joey Votto and a run-scoring single to Brandon Phillips. The Reds led, 3-0, and never looked back.

AT THE PLATE: Strikeouts, and lots of them. Cincinnati starter Johnny Cueto struck out 12 in six innings, including 10 of the first 15 batters. Yasiel Puig struck out three times and popped up, ending his streak of consecutive games reaching base at 40. Adrian Gonzalez also struck out three times and has struck out in eight of his last 11 at-bats.

ON THE MOUND: Ryu (7-3) lost for the first time since April 27. He gave up four runs, including a home run to Jay Bruce, and six hits over six innings. The Dodgers have been shut out three times this season, all in games started by distinguished arms: Cueto, Cliff Lee of the Philadelphia Phillies and Jordan Zimmermann of the Washington Nationals.

BILLINGSLEY SETBACK: For the second time this season, the Dodgers have shut down Chad Billingsley as he tries to come back from Tommy John surgery. Billingsley said he could not “max it out” during a bullpen session Tuesday, according to Mattingly, and will see a doctor Thursday. Billingsley is 14 months removed from the surgery; the normal rehabilitation period is 13 to 18 months.

ARMS FROM CUBA: Puig said he had watched replays of the celebrated throw made by his countryman, Yoenis Cespedes, in Anaheim on Tuesday. “Tremendous,” Puig said through an interpreter. “One of the best throws of the season.” Who’s got the better arm? Puig smiled, but he wouldn’t say.

UP NEXT: The Dodgers’ Zack Greinke (8-2, 2.62 ERA) faces Alfredo Simon (8-3, 3.15) on Thursday at 9:35 a.m. PDT at Cincinnati’s Great American Ball Park. TV: SportsNet LA. Radio: 570, 1020.