Reds down Dodgers again for rare winning streak

Spencer Steer hit a first-inning home run for the second consecutive day and Hunter Greene worked six strong innings as the Cincinnati Reds earned a 3-1 victory over the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday.

Will Benson also hit a home run as the Reds won consecutive games for the first time since April 23-24 against the Philadelphia Phillies. Cincinnati evened the season series with Los Angeles 3-3 with the finale Sunday.

Greene (3-2), a Los Angeles-area native, gave up one run on five hits over six innings with one walk and five strikeouts. He worked out of multiple jams, including a bases-loaded situation with nobody out in the second inning while only giving up one run.

Shohei Ohtani tripled for the Dodgers with one out in the sixth inning against Greene but was left stranded. Ohtani also struck out three times for the second time this season as Los Angeles dropped four consecutive games for the first time.

Los Angeles right-hander Walker Buehler (1-2) gave up three runs on six hits over 6 2/3 innings with one walk and four strikeouts.

Steer gave the Reds a 1-0 lead with two outs in the first inning with a home run to left field, his sixth.

The Dodgers loaded the bases with no outs in the second on singles from Will Smith and Teoscar Hernandez, as well as a walk to Gavin Lux. But the only run they scored in the inning came on a double-play grounder from Jason Heyward.

Benson's home run in the second inning, his seventh on the season, put Cincinnati up 2-1. Elly De la Cruz made it 3-1 in the sixth with an RBI single off Buehler.

The Reds' Fernando Cruz pitched a scoreless seventh inning, Sam Moll didn't allow a run in the eighth and Alexis Diaz had a scoreless ninth for his ninth save.

The Reds were without No. 3 hitter Jeimer Candelario, who was a late scratch because of a stiff neck. He was replaced at third base by Santiago Espinal, who was inserted into the No. 9 spot in the order.

--Field Level Media