LOS ANGELES — Cincinnati ended its time in Los Angeles with four straight losses when the Dodgers destroyed the Reds Sunday 9-1.
Max Muncy, Will Smith and Chris Taylor had RBI doubles during a seven-run fourth on another dominant day for Los Angeles, which has won six in a row.
Freeman warmed up for the Atlanta Braves’ arrival in Chavez Ravine on Monday with a pair of run-scoring singles for the Dodgers, who hadn’t swept the Reds in a four-game home series since April 14-17, 1975 — exactly 47 years ago.
Tyler Naquin had an RBI single in the eighth for the Reds, who have lost six in a row to start the season at an NL-worst 2-8.
Heaney (1-0) largely dominated Cincinnati, posting his 15th career start with at least 10 strikeouts. He walked three and allowed only a third-inning double by Kyle Farmer in his first appearance at Dodger Stadium since moving up the I-5 from Anaheim, where he spent six and a half seasons with the Angels.
After pitching scoreless ball into the fifth at Minnesota in his Dodgers debut last Tuesday, Heaney retired the first seven Reds he faced. After Farmer’s hit, Heaney retired 10 of his final 12 batters while again relying on his breaking pitches more frequently than at any previous point in his major league career.
Trea Turner went 0 for 4 with a walk and a run, ending his career-best hitting streak at 27 games dating to last year. The 2021 MLB batting champion, who hit a 105 mph lineout to shortstop in the eighth, failed to get a hit for only the seventh time in 61 games since joining the Dodgers last season.
Tyler Mahle (1-1) struck out five before finding big trouble in the fourth, eventually yielding seven runs on seven hits by the Dodgers’ powerhouse lineup.
The Orange County native shut down the Dodgers early before five straight batters reached base to open the fourth. Muncy drove home Freeman and Turner before Smith and Taylor added RBI doubles.
Freeman chased Mahle with an RBI single, his second hit of the inning.
The Reds' will start the week in San Diego for the opener of a three-game series Monday. Nick Lodolo (0-1, 11.25 ERA) is scheduled to start.
