LOS ANGELES — There was a bloop single. Two walks. Three doubles. Six total hits. And a carousel around the bases.
By the time the fourth inning was over Sunday, the game effectively was too, the Dodgers riding a seven-run outburst against Cincinnati Reds starter Tyler Mahle to a 9-1 win at Dodger Stadium.
The victory was the sixth in a row for the Dodgers (7-2), who completed their second consecutive series sweep by following a familiar formula: They got good pitching, with starter Andrew Heaney striking out 11 batters over six scoreless innings; and their lineup came alive for one big frame, sending 11 batters to the plate during a relentless bottom of the fourth.
The onslaught began with a soft single from Freddie Freeman, followed by a walk from Trea Turner. Max Muncy drove them in with a double into the right field corner, opening the scoring. After an infield single by Justin Turner, Will Smith lined a double of his own to left to make it 3-0.
Mahle, who had given up only one hit the first three innings, retired Cody Bellinger for the first out. But then Chris Taylor shot a double up the middle for another pair of runs, Gavin Lux walked, and Freeman drove in two more with his second single of the inning.
It was the Dodgers’ highest-scoring inning of the season, but hardly their first time scoring in bunches. They’ve now plated at least three runs in an inning in seven of nine games this season. And they’ve scored at least five runs in an inning five times.
The Reds (2-8) conversely have scored at least five runs in just four entire games this season. And on Sunday, they didn’t come close to reaching the mark.
In his second start as a Dodger, Heaney looked dominant again. His new slider was sharp, getting whiffs on 14 of 22 swings against the pitch. He was efficient, throwing 56 strikes in an 89-pitch outing. And he gave the Reds little breathing room, recording his most strikeouts in a start since August 2019 while only giving up three walks and one hit.
The bullpen salted away the final three innings, giving up the day’s only run on a Tyler Naquin single in the eighth — an inning that could have been worse if not for Freeman’s smooth first base-to-home plate double-play turned by Freeman, who also led the way offensively by going four for five with three RBIs.
Stiffer tests soon await the Dodgers. After blowing past the tanking Reds and rebuilding Minnesota Twins the past week, they will host the Atlanta Braves for three games starting Monday — the team that eliminated them from the postseason last year en route to winning the World Series.
Roberts on Sunday downplayed the significance of the early-season meeting, resisting the temptation to call it a measuring stick matchup.
“When you face a really good ballclub in the Braves, it’s always people trying to say it’s a litmus test or barometer,” Roberts said. “But I think that it’s a good ballclub that we’re trying to win a series [against].”
The Dodgers haven’t played a legitimate contender yet, but they have a formula that would seemingly work against anyone — resulting Sunday in the most complete performance of their impressive start to the season.
