Reds lose to Dodgers, 1-0, to complete sweep
Anthony DeSclafani had to be perfect for any chance to beat Zack Greinke on Thursday.
He wasn’t – and the Reds lost 1-0 in front of 25,529 at Great American Ball Park on Thursday.
DeSclafani gave up a run in the second inning, and that was all the Cy Young Award frontrunner needed against the Reds’ anemic offense.
“Both times I’ve gone against him, I’ve known I have to put my best out there and limit them to the fewest runs possible,” DeSclafani said. “It’s tough to go against, he’s the best pitcher in the league. You’ve got to limit the damage.”
DeScalfani went seven innings, allowed one run on six hits with a walk and six strikeouts.
Greinke, meanwhile, allowed just four hits in seven shutout innings. The right-hander walked two and struck out nine.
It was the second time in 11 days that DeScalfani was bested by Greinke, losing 2-1 despite a similar outstanding outing on Aug. 16 at Dodger Stadium. In that game, Greinke contributed by hitting a home run, but he went hitless on Thursday.
“He pitched great, he really did,” Reds manager Bryan Price said of DeSclafani. “He went right after them. He gave up three runs over the two games he pitched against them. He was always on the attack. I’m really proud of the way he handled himself out there today.”
After an easy first, DeSclafani suddenly was unable to find his control in the second and gave up three straight singles to the first three batters of the inning.
Former Reds first-round pick Yasmani Grandal helped get him out of it, hitting a grounder to second that scored a run, but allowed Brandon Phillips to start a double play. Struggling All-Star Joc Pederson then grounded out.
That would be the first of four double plays DeSclafani induced. The fourth, sixth and seventh all ended in double plays.
Box score: Dodgers 1, Reds 0
“Disco’s a good sinker guy, he gets the ground balls, and when you have the two guys up the middle that play like they do, it’s a treat to have,” Reds catcher Tucker Barnhart said.
“It’s nice to be able to count on those guys to turn double plays – I mean, Brandon’s the best there is at second base, and Suarez has played fantastic this year coming in for another guys who is probably one of the best guys out there at short in (Zack Cozart). Up the middle they’ve played fantastic, and it’s a pleasure to watch.”
As well as DeSclafani pitched on Thursday, he didn’t do himself any favors at the plate. Twice DeSclafani struck out on foul bunt attempts.
In the third, he struck out with Barnhart on first, but it was much more costly two innings later with runners on first and third and one out.
After DeSclafani fouled off a pitch for a third strike in the fifth, former Dodger Skip Schumaker struck out to end the inning, then slammed his bat, breaking it in half.
“I also have to do my part, getting the bunts down, stuff like that can also change the momentum, and I didn’t do that,” DeSclafani said afterward. “Oh yeah, I’m definitely frustrated. I have to get my bunts down, it’s not like it’s something I don’t work on either, I work on it every day. It’s part of my job, also. It’s on me.”
Barnhart had two of the four hits off of Greinke, singling in both the third and fifth, and finished 2-for-3 against the Dodgers' starter.
Barnhart doubled and walked in two plate appearances against Greinke earlier in the month. Jason Bourgeois and Schumaker registered the only other hits against Greinke.
J.J. Hoover relieved DeSclafani in the eighth and loaded the bases before getting Scott Van Slyke, who entered the game for an injured Adrian Gonzalez in the fifth inning, to ground into the Dodgers’ fifth double play of the game, one shy of the franchise record of six.
The Reds have only turned six double plays in a game twice in their history, in 1925 and 1955 – both against the New York Giants – with the second time coming in a 16-inning game. The last time the team turned five double plays was April 8, 2003, at Houston.
In the ninth, Aroldis Chapman loaded the bases before getting out of the inning.