Pederson homers again as Dodgers dump Reds
Joc Pederson homered for the third game in a row, and Alex Verdugo drove in three runs Tuesday as the Los Angeles Dodgers continued to get back to their winning ways with a 6-1 victory over the visiting Cincinnati Reds.
Pederson's second-inning home run came one night after he crushed the first game-ending home run of his career in a victory over the Reds. The Dodgers extended their winning streak to three games following a six-game losing streak.
Los Angeles has hit a home run in all 12 home games this season and 31 consecutive home games going back to last season, one off the major league record set by the 1999 Colorado Rockies.
Joey Votto, in his second career game in the leadoff spot, had an RBI double as the Reds lost for the third time in their first four games of a nine-game trip that included two "home" games in Monterrey, Mexico. Yasiel Puig was 0-for-4 and Matt Kemp was 1-for-4 a day after the former Dodgers each had two hits.
After Verdugo gave the Dodgers a 1-0 lead with a first-inning single, Pederson delivered his eighth home run of the season in the second inning for a 3-0 lead. It was his fifth home run in his past seven games.
Enrique Hernandez made it 4-0 with an RBI single later in the second inning, and Verdugo added a two-run double in the seventh.
Corey Seager had three hits for the Dodgers, all against a four-man outfield as the Reds moved second baseman Derek Dietrich into right field while sliding the rest of the outfielders around toward left during his at-bats.
Dodgers starter Kenta Maeda (3-1) battled his way through 6 2/3 innings, giving up one run on four hits with three walks and five strikeouts.
Reds starter Tyler Mahle (0-1) settled down after a bumpy start to go six innings, the last four of which were scoreless. The Southern California native gave up four runs on 11 hits with no walks and three strikeouts.
The Reds scored one run or none for the fifth time this season. Not including a 14-run game on April 9 against the Miami Marlins, they have averaged just 2.8 runs per game this year.
The Dodgers played without Cody Bellinger (bruised right knee) and Justin Turner (bruised left ankle and tight hamstring).
--Field Level Media
