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Reds Vie to Sweep Dodgers, Win Season Series
The Cincinnati Reds aim to sweep the Los Angeles Dodgers and win the season series in an early game Sunday. Can the Reds’ powerful offense and strategic pitching secure the victory?
Get ready for some brunch and baseball on Sunday! The Cincinnati Reds are hosting the Los Angeles Dodgers for the series finale, and the game is starting early at 12:10 p.m. ET due to expected bad weather later in the day.
Reds’ Recent Performance and Offensive Surge
The Reds have been on fire with their bats lately. They’ve crushed three home runs in Friday’s opener and added two more in Saturday’s 3-1 win. This surge in offense has given them back-to-back wins for the first time since April.
Spencer Steer has been particularly hot, hitting a first-inning home run in both games of the series. Will Benson also joined the party with a home run on Saturday. Reds manager David Bell couldn’t be happier, saying, “The belief in what we’re capable of has really shown up. We know what we went through for a few weeks. You survive that, and all of a sudden, things can shift around.”
Pitching Matchups and Strategies
On Sunday, the Reds will start left-hander Brent Suter (0-0, 4.13 ERA) as an opener, likely for just one inning, a strategy that worked well in a 7-2 win over the Dodgers on May 16. After Suter, right-hander Nick Martinez is expected to handle the bulk of the innings.
The Dodgers will counter with right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto (5-1, 3.17 ERA). Yamamoto, who’s used to working on six days’ rest in Japan, will pitch on five days’ rest this time. He’s been excellent with a 3-0 record and a 2.64 ERA on shorter rest. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts praised Yamamoto’s last outing, saying, “The slider, he used a little bit more. The fastball had life, good command. Got a lot of swing and miss and really had his way with those guys.”
Series Context and Team Dynamics
The Reds have taken the first two games of this three-game series, evening up the season series at 3-3. All seven games between these teams this season are being played within an 11-day span. Cincinnati is looking to keep their momentum going as they head into a crucial part of the season.
Despite their loss on Saturday, the Dodgers had some bright spots, including Shohei Ohtani ending an 0-for-10 slump with a triple, though he was left stranded and also struck out three times while dealing with some hamstring discomfort.
Upcoming Challenges for Both Teams
After Sunday’s game, the Reds are off to San Diego for a three-game series against the Padres. Meanwhile, the Dodgers face a tough road trip, starting with a two-game World Series rematch against the Texas Rangers and then four games against the New York Mets. Reds third baseman Jeimer Candelario was a late scratch on Saturday due to a stiff neck, which might affect the lineup in the upcoming games.
Game Dynamics and Expectations
With the series up for grabs, Sunday’s game is pivotal. The Reds’ combination of powerful offense and strategic pitching against the Dodgers’ desire to snap their losing streak makes for an exciting matchup. Both teams are looking to build momentum before hitting the road for challenging series.
Conclusion
The Cincinnati Reds are aiming to sweep the Los Angeles Dodgers and win the season series in their final matchup. With a powerful offensive display and strategic pitching, the Reds are poised for a strong performance. Both teams face challenging schedules ahead, making this game crucial for building momentum.
