Cincinnati, OH – Ryan Hanigan doubled home the game-winning run in the ninth inning as the Cincinnati Reds completed a three-game sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers with a 3-2 win on Sunday.
With one out, Zack Cozart singled to left field off Ronald Belisario. Hanigan then ripped the first pitch he saw down the left field line. Cozart raced around third and headed for home, sliding across the plate as Hanley Ramirez's relay throw bounced past catcher A.J. Ellis.
"He tries to get guys out with that sinker. I was looking for it. It's one of those games. Kind of went the way we expected. A lot of quality pitching, low scoring. But, it was an awesome way to win," Hanigan said.
Jay Bruce finished with a pair of solo homers for the Reds, who pulled even with the Pittsburgh Pirates atop the NL Wild Card standings. With the win, Cincinnati also tied the Pirates for second place in the NL Central standings. The St. Louis Cardinals lead both clubs by 1 1/2 games for the top spot.
Aroldis Chapman (4-5) earned the win after tossing a perfect ninth inning. Starter Homer Bailey allowed two runs on six hits while striking out nine over seven innings.
Hanley Ramirez went 2-for-4 with a solo homer and two RBI for the Dodgers, who have dropped four straight, but hold a commanding 11-game lead over the Arizona Diamondbacks atop the NL West standings.
"I was happier with our game tonight than I was the first two. I wasn't that excited about our focus. Tonight was better for me. Our focus was better," Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said.
Belisario (5-7) was pegged with the loss after giving up the game-winning run. Starter Clayton Kershaw gave up both of Bruce's homers among four over seven innings. The dominant southpaw walked three and fanned seven in the setback.
Bruce crushed his first homer of the night, a hanging slider from Kershaw, over the wall in right field to put the Reds up 1-0 early.
Los Angeles got on the board in the fourth as Ramirez doubled home Adrian Gonzalez. With two outs, Gonzalez singled to center then scored on Ramirez's two-bagger to center.
Bruce, though, led off the home half with his second long ball of the night, lacing another hanging slider over the right-field wall.
Ramirez hammered a leadoff homer in the seventh to tie the game at 2-2.
Game Notes
Bruce became the third player ever to hit two homers of Kershaw in same game ... The Reds won the season series 4-3 ... Cozart has hit safely in 13 straight games ... Ramirez has 17 homers in 75 games this season ... Kershaw stuck out seven for the 17th time this season ... Bruce was the first left handed batter to homer off Kershaw since June 15 2012.
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