Reds-Dodgers: Cincy Errors End Streak

The Cincinnati Reds came into Los Angeles winners of six in a row and seven of their last nine games, and, after two-and-a-half innings, it looked like they were on their way to seven straight.

Instead, four straight Dodgers hits in the fifth and poor fielding throughout ruined an early, 4-0 lead in a 6-5 loss Monday night.

Reds hitters jumped all over Dodgers starter Brad Penny by scoring four runs in three innings, including a two-run homer by left fielder Adam Dunn, who homered for the fifth time in five games.

But with two outs in the bottom of the third and runners on second and third for L.A., the momentum of the game changed.

Dodgers catcher Russell Martin hit a routine ground ball to Reds shortstop Jerry Hairston Jr., who fielded the ball awkwardly and then threw the ball in the dirt past first baseman Joey Votto, allowing both runners to score and cut the deficit to 4-2.

The Reds got a run back in the top of the fifth on an RBI single by Adam Dunn, making the score 5-2.

In the bottom of the fifth, Reds pitcher Bronson Arroyo, who had thrown 19 consecutive scoreless innings, began to unravel. With two outs and a runner at first, he gave up four straight hits resulting in three runs to tie the game at five apiece.

The bullpens for both teams took over and combined to throw six shutout innings heading into the bottom of the ninth. 

With Reds reliever David Weathers pitching, Dodgers catcher Russell Martin hit another would-be routine grounder to shortstop Paul Janish, who came on in the ninth for Hairston Jr., but Janish threw the ball into the Reds dugout to allow Martin to reach second with no outs.

Weathers got Jeff Kent to ground out to second base, which advanced Martin to third with one out. The Reds chose to intentionally walk James Loney and Matt Kemp, who was 4-for-4 on the night, to face Blake Dewitt. With the count to Dewitt at two balls and two strikes, he hit a single to left, scoring Martin to win the game for the Dodgers, 6-5.

Weathers took the loss, putting his record at 1-3; Takashi Saito, who pitched a clean top-half of the ninth, got the win to improve his record to 2-1.

Tomorrow night, the Reds will send right-hander Matt Belisle (1-3) against Dodgers right-hander Chad Billingsley (3-5) at 10:10 PM EST at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles.