Dodgers vs. Reds recap: Dodgers open road trip with 8-2 win over Reds

The Dodgers opened their nine-game road trip with a decisive 8-2 win over the Reds, behind five RBIs from Freddie Freeman, 17 hits from the lineup, and five solid innings from starter Tony Gonsolin.

Final: Dodgers 8, Reds 2

After scoreless innings from Evan Phillips and Phil Bickford out of the bullpen, the Dodgers offense finally manufactured some breathing room.

With the bases loaded in the eighth, Freddie Freeman delivered his second big hit of the night, crushing a three-run triple off the wall in left center before later scoring on a sacrifice fly.

Mid 8th: Dodgers lead 8-2

Tony Gonsolin overcame some shaky early moments to complete another solid outing for the Dodgers. He went five innings and gave up two runs (both solo homers) on three hits, one walk and one hit batter. He struck out four in the process.

Gonsolin’s ERA is now 1.58 — giving him MLB’s ERA lead once more after he crossed the league’s minimum innings pitched threshold again.

At the plate, the Dodgers have had chances to break the game open, but are once again stranding a lot of runners, turning only a two-run lead over to the bullpen.

Mid 6th: Dodgers lead 4-2

The early innings of this game have been a see-saw.

In the bottom of the second, the Reds took their first lead when Albert Almora Jr. hit a solo home run.

But then, the Dodgers immediately went back in front in the third, after singles by Gavin Lux and Trea Turner (giving him a 13-game hitting streak) set up Freddie Freeman for a two-run double down the right-field line.

It was a rare hit of late with runners in scoring position for the Dodgers, who entered the game batting just .174 in such situations this month.

However, it also came with a mistake. At the end of the play, Freeman tried to advance to third on a throw that was initially directed toward home plate. But catcher Aramis Garcia made a heads up decision to throw to third instead, allowing third baseman Brandon Drury to tag him out on a play that was upheld after replay review.

That proved to be costly later in the inning, when a single from Will Smith and double from Chris Taylor failed to lead to any more runs.

The Dodgers did eventually tack on another run in the next inning, though, after Justin Turner doubled off the top of the wall in left and came around to score on a sacrifice bunt and sacrifice fly.

Mid 4th: Dodgers lead 4-2

After giving up a leadoff home run in the bottom of the first to Jonathan India that tied the game, Tony Gonsolin faced more trouble early on.

After Brandon Drury singled and Tommy Pham was hit by a pitch, Gonsolin was facing a two-on, no-out situation with his first-inning pitch count climbing.

But then, he got Joey Votto to line out and Kyle Farmer to roll into an inning-ending double-play, retiring the side after 21 pitches.

End 1st: Tied 1-1

Most Dodgers hitter are slumping right now.

Catcher Will Smith, however, has been on a midseason surge, continuing to heat up with a first inning solo home run that opened the scoring tonight.

In his last 14 games, Smith is now batting .314 with four home runs. His nine long balls this season are tied with Trea Turner for second most on the team.

Mid 1st: Dodgers lead 1-0

CINCINNATI — Major League Baseball announced its first balloting update on Tuesday for the 2022 All-Star Game in Los Angeles, and two Dodgers were leading their position groups in the National League.

Outfielder Mookie Betts had the most votes of any NL player, and only trailed New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge in the majors overall.

Trea Turner was the leading vote-getter among NL shortstops.

The Dodgers were one of three teams to have multiple players leading their position groups.

Freddie Freeman was third among NL first baseman. Gavin Lux, Justin Turner and Max Muncy were fourth among the league’s second basemen, third basemen and designated hitters, respectively. Will Smith was fifth among catchers.

In the outfield, Cody Bellinger was ninth in voting and Chris Taylor was 12th.

The first phase of voting runs through June 30th. After that, the top two vote-getters at each position (and top six outfielders) will advance to a second phase to determine who the starter will be at that position for the midsummer classic.

Here are the full results for NL voting from the league’s first update:

Trayce Thompson bats during a spring training game between the San Diego Padres and Chicago Cubs in March.

(Matt York / Associated Press)

CINCINNATI — The trade deadline is still six weeks away.

But in the wake of an injury to star right fielder Mookie Betts, a lack of obvious replacement options in the organization and a monthlong slump from the lineup at large, the Dodgers felt compelled in recent days to seek out another right-handed hitter.

On Monday, they found one, acquiring Trayce Thompson from the Detroit Tigers in exchange for cash considerations.

In trading for Thompson, the Dodgers will get a six-year MLB veteran who has shown the ability to hit for power. Though he is just a career .205 hitter, Thompson has 26 home runs in 640 big league plate appearances.

On Tuesday, Thompson was added to the active roster. To make room, Walker Buehler was transferred to the 60-day injured list.

Thompson will be on the bench Tuesday, as the Dodgers loaded up on left-handed hitters — including putting Eddy Alvarez in right field — against Reds right-handed starter Tyler Mahle.

Here’s the team’s lineup Tuesday:

The Dodgers will have Tony Gonsolin on the mound to open the 10-game road trip.

The team also announced Tuesday that reliever Caleb Ferguson has been placed on the injured list with left forearm tendinitis.

Though Ferguson, who returned from Tommy John surgery earlier this year, hadn’t given up a run in six appearances this season, he said he had been battling some soreness for the last couple weeks, going back to the team’s series in San Francisco.

Manager Dave Roberts said the soreness would have forced the team to be diligent with Ferguson’s workload, and that, especially with a stretch of 20-straight games starting Tuesday and MLB’s new 13-pitcher maximum rule going into effect this week, they decided it would be better to place Ferguson on the injured list until the soreness dissipated.

“Caleb is obviously a great competitor and he’s not too thrilled going back on the IL, given all he’s had to go through to get back [from Tommy John],” Roberts said. “But his return to play, I don’t see being very long.”

Ferguson’s 15-day IL stint was backdated to June 17, meaning he will be eligible to return on July 2.

Here’s a look at the Dodgers broadcast and streaming schedule for the remainder of the 2022 regular season:

Dodgers right fielder Mookie Betts walks on the field during a game against the New York Mets on June 4.

(Alex Gallardo / Associated Press)

Their season could now depend on a medical prognosis made by a Doc who isn’t an actual doctor.

The Dodgers were built to deal with the kinds of injuries that have struck them earlier this season, from Clayton Kershaw’s and Andrew Heaney’s in the opening weeks to Walker Buehler’s and Blake Treinen’s that could stretch into the final months.

What baseball’s most expensive team isn’t prepared to do is play without its best player for an extended period, which is why manager Dave Roberts better be right that Mookie Betts can return from a broken rib in a couple of weeks.

Even for a team known for its depth, the injury to Betts could be one injury too many.

The former Gold Glove right fielder’s absence has already cost the Dodgers a game, as the misadventures of defensive replacement Eddy Alvarez contributed to three runs in a 5-3 loss to the Cleveland Guardians on Sunday at Dodger Stadium.

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