After getting an important win in a tough matchup to start the series yesterday, the Dodgers rode their franchise icon to a series win today, as he was dominant to close his outing and the offense continued to put together better at-bats in a 6-3 victory over the Reds.
That’s three wins in a row … a streak?
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Things didn’t actually start well for the Dodgers and Clayton Kershaw, as he gave up a lead-off double and a one-out single cornered the runners. He then induced a grounder, but the runner was going on the pitch, so it was just an RBI out to put the Reds up 1-0.
He didn’t allow another baserunner from there, as he closed with 14 straight batters retired to end his outing.
Clayton Kershaw splitter strikeout. pic.twitter.com/fg5VOYf1j2
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) August 27, 2025
Kershaw was just dominant after some early hiccups: 5 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 6 K, 72 Pitches.
Clayton Kershaw strikes out six, closes five strong with 14 in a row set down. pic.twitter.com/RK6OpUGxgj
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) August 27, 2025
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For the Reds, it was Dodgers boogeyman Nick Martinez on the mound, and they did mount a comeback immediately. A Mookie Betts one-out single was followed by Freddie Freeman doubling to left, and Mookie scored on an Austin Hays throwing error to make it 1-1.
¡Se empató el juego! pic.twitter.com/Z13PuwkpbY
— Los Dodgers (@LosDodgers) August 27, 2025
They didn’t get anything else out of that, and in the 2nd an Andy Pages single was erased when he got thrown out, making the single that followed later in the inning moot.
The offense also wasted a lead-off walk in the 3rd, but managed to take the lead in the 4th behind a Teoscar Hernandez lead-off double, a Michael Conforto infield single that Martinez deflected, and an Enrique Hernandez sac fly to left to make it 2-1.
Martinez then got a clean 5th, but the Dodgers finally got to him in the 6th. Things started with the struggling Will Smith hitting his 16th homer of the year to make it 3-1.
No. 16 for 16! pic.twitter.com/XHekaYizKf
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) August 27, 2025
After a one-out double from Pages, that ended Martinez’s night as Brent Suter entered. Alex Call pinch-hit and grounded a ball to short, where Pages ran for third for whatever reason and got thrown out for another baserunning blunder from him.
That looked costly when Enrique singled, as Pages likely would’ve scored. However, Miguel Rojas pinch-hit and smashed a double that Noelvi Marte looked bad on to score Call and Hernandez. Shohei Ohtani then immediately followed with a single to score Rojas, and it was 6-1 just like that with Suter knocked out.
Miguel delivers a two-out pinch-hit double on some … interesting route running, and Ohtani follows with a single to push the lead to 6-1. pic.twitter.com/Wcq5etFasQ
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) August 27, 2025
The scoring stopped there in the 6th, and that was actually all they got the rest of the game.
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If you’re wondering where the Kershaw updates were, well he was done after five.
I’d prefer if Kershaw continued, but if he’s not fighting it, then I dunno.
— Chad Moriyama (@chadmoriyama.bsky.social) August 26, 2025 at 5:28 PM
Regardless of what that was about, things looked like disaster early, as Edgardo Henriquez entered in the 6th and immediately gave up back-to-back singles. However, for some reason the Reds had Noelvi square to bunt despite being one of their hottest bats, and he popped into a double play.
Me, watching this:
“Catch it, NOOOO … oh, okay.” https://t.co/ueeGSlRVgP
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) August 27, 2025
That got Henriquez off the hook for the 6th, and Ben Casparius entered for the 7th. He also faced trouble immediately, issuing a walk and then giving up a Hays homer to cut the lead to 6-3.
He did follow with three strikeouts in a row, but obviously not what you wanted to see.
For the 8th, it was Blake Treinen, who continued to look better in giving up just a two-out single. Also, Freddie also saved Enrique from an error.
As somebody who used to play first, just crazy to have hands like this. Also, Enrique face. pic.twitter.com/mio0DmKaEh
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) August 27, 2025
Tanner Scott entered for the 9th and the save, and he faced the minimum after a one-out groundball single was erased by a game-ending double play.
Results pending, but they definitely did something to Tanner Scott’s slider.
[image or embed]
— Chad Moriyama (@chadmoriyama.bsky.social) August 26, 2025 at 6:41 PM
Maybe something.
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The biggest negative from today, Alex Call might’ve hurt himself running the bases.
pic.twitter.com/7l3fnoOL7m
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) August 27, 2025
Alex Call’s lower back tightened up on him, Dave Roberts said. Call told him he’s played through worse. Hope is still he’s still in the lineup tomorrow.
— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) August 27, 2025
I dunno, man.
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The series concludes tomorrow as the Dodgers go for the sweep on SNLA at 2:40 PM HT/5:40 PM PT/8:40 PM ET with Shohei Ohtani looking to get better results against Nick Lodolo.
