Jonathan India’s grand slam, Spencer Steer’s 3-run HR power Reds to 9-6 win over the Dodgers
By MITCH STACY
AP Sports Writer
CINCINNATI (AP) — Jonathan India hit a grand slam in Cincinnati’s six-run fifth inning, Spencer Steer had a three-run homer and the Reds took advantage of some sloppy pitching to beat the Dodgers 9-6 on Friday night.
Stuart Fairchild also homered for the Reds, and the center fielder robbed Will Smith of a home run with a leaping catch in the deepest part of the park in the seventh inning. In the sixth, Fairchild ran down a long ball from Mookie Betts at the wall that certainly would have been extra bases.
“It’s amazing,” Reds manager David Bell said. “If it’s possible to make those plays look easy, he does it.”
Slumping Cincinnati was outhit by the Dodgers 11-6 but capitalized on walks and being hit by pitches to set the table both for Steer’s three-run homer in the first and India’s fifth-inning slam.
India broke out of a 0-for-16 slump with three hits.
“Oh yeah, you could say this is a relief for sure,” the 2021 National League Rookie of the Year said. “I feel a turn coming. We’ve just got to keep the pedal to the metal and just play hard.”
Reds starter Graham Ashcraft (4-3) went 5 1/3 innings, allowing five runs and eight hits and striking out three.
Chris Taylor and Betts had RBI doubles in a four-run Los Angeles second. Will Smith added a solo homer to right in the fifth.
After Los Angeles starter James Paxton gave up the homer to Fairchild and issued a two-out walk to Steer in the fifth, reliever Yohan Ramirez (0-2) hit Tyler Stephenson and walked Santiago Espinal to load the bases, and then hit Nick Martini to force in the tying run.
On came reliever Alex Vesia, who served up a 3-2 fastball that India hit into the seats just inside the left-field pole for the third grand slam of his career.
Paxton was charged with five earned runs and five hits in 4 2/3 innings.
“To start with, I don’t think James had his best stuff,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “He was trying to find it all night long, with the four walks in four plus innings and the pitch count getting up.”
Shohei Ohtani was 0 for 5 but picked up an RBI on a groundout in the second inning. Teoscar Hernández led off the ninth with a solo homer, but reliever Brett Suter finished off the Dodgers in order to seal it.
“We end up winning by a few runs, but there were a lot of little things, plays that guys came through on, that made all the difference and really (made it) a closer game than it seemed,” Bell said.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Dodgers: Roberts said Max Muncy, out since May 17 with a strained oblique, is hitting off a tee. Muncy is eligible to return from the injured list on Sunday.
Reds: OF Jake Fraley, who was hit by a pitch on his right hand Thursday, was not in lineup, but available to play. LHP Nick Lodolo (left groin strain) is on track to start Monday’s game against St. Louis.
UP NEXT
The Reds send right-hander Hunter Greene (2-2, 3.22 ERA) against Dodgers right-hander Walker Buehler (1-1, 4.05) as the series continues Saturday night.
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