Grand slam helps Dodgers sweep Reds
Iglesias walks three ahead of Seager’s homer in six-run eighth inning as Reds drop third straight to Dodgers.
Los Angeles won, 9-7, with a sixrun eighth. Adam Duvall, Scott Schebler, Joey Votto and Devin Mesoraco homered for Cincinnati.
The Los Angeles LOS ANGELES — Dodgers got back in the game with a little patience, and then Corey Seager finished the rally with one big swing.
Seager capped a six-run eighth inning with his first career grand slam, helping the Dodgers to a 9-7 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Sunday and a three-game series sweep.
Rookie Cody Bellinger sparked the rally with a one-out homer against Austin Brice. Rasiel Iglesias (2-1) replaced Brice with a runner on first and walked three straight batters to force in a run, trimming Cincinnati’s lead to 7-5. Seager then hit a drive to center for his ninth homer.
“You just kind of got to slow it down,” Seager said. “Just try to get to the next guy, keep the line moving and try to get a win.”
Adam Duvall, Scott Schebler, Joey Votto and Devin Mesoraco homered for the Reds, who dropped their sixth consecutive road game.
“Those are the tough ones,” manager Bryan Price said. “You’re going to have a few of those. Hopefully only a couple a year where those leads get away late. But they happen every year.”
Enrique Hernandez put together a 13-pitch at-bat against Iglesias, one that included eight foul balls, before walking to load the bases.
“The Hernandez at-bat was as good
as you can get, really,” Price said. “I thought he just did a tremendous job. Fought off some tough pitches.”
Seager, 23, a third-year shortstop in the majors, also beat Cincinnati on Saturday night with an RBI double in the ninth for his first game-ending hit at any level.
“Outside of the skill set and the confidence — because you’ve obviously got a very confident young player — it’s his ability to be able to control the pulse,” manager Dave Roberts said. “He’s a guy that hits good pitching and performs in big spots, and he did again today.”
Duvall led off the second with a homer to left and
Schebler added a two-run homer, helping the Reds to a 3-0 lead. It was Duvall’s 15th homer and No. 18 for Schebler.
After Votto connected for a solo shot in the third, his 18th homer, Utley belted a solo drive in the fifth that went off the glove of center fielder Billy Hamilton.
The Reds opened a 7-3 lead on Mesoraco’s two-run homer off Ross Stripling in the sixth. Mesoraco had a three-run homer that tied Saturday’s game at 4.
Trainer’s room: Duvall made his first start after miss- ing two games with an ill- ness . ... Left-hander Brandon Finnegan (shoulder strain) made his first rehab start for Double-A Pensacola, pitching three scoreless innings.
Gonzalez hurting: Dodgers first baseman Adrian Gonzalez left in the seventh after complaining his back locked up again. He said he has two herniated disks and that an MRI is scheduled.
“Tried my best to put together good at-bats and keep hitting pitches that I normally hit, but my body’s not letting me get there,” he said.