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Cody Bellinger, Los Angeles Dodgers jolt Cincinnati Reds with six-run 8th

By Bob Keisser, The Sports Xchange
Los Angeles Dodgers' Cody Bellinger (L) and Yasiel Puig celebrate a win. File photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI
Los Angeles Dodgers' Cody Bellinger (L) and Yasiel Puig celebrate a win. File photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI | License Photo

LOS ANGELES -- Even on a day when the Los Angeles Dodgers' pitching staff had a subpar effort, their offense found a way to win.

Rookie Cody Bellinger started an eighth-inning rally with a home run and shortstop Corey Seager ended it with a grand slam as the Dodgers erased a four-run deficit in the eighth with a six-run inning for a 9-7 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Sunday.

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The Reds held a seemingly comfortably 7-3 lead after 7 1/2 innings, getting home runs from Adam Duvall, Scott Schebler, Joey Votto and Devin Mesoraco, before the Dodgers erupted in the eighth.

Bellinger hit his second home run of the game with one out off reliever Austin Brice. After Yasmani Grandal singled, Reds manager Bryan Price brought in closer Rasiel Iglesias. He couldn't find the strike zone, however, walking Yasiel Puig on four pitchers.

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Enrique Hernandez then worked a walk to load the bases, and Chase Utley did likewise to force in a run and make it 7-5. Seager, who had his first walk-off hit in his career to win Saturday, drilled Iglesias' first pitch into the right-field bleachers to complete the comeback.

Kenley Jansen came in for the save, the 200th of his career, and Luis Avilan (1-1) earned the win. It was just the second time in 17 games the Dodgers allowed more than four runs in a game. Los Angeles beat Milwaukee 10-8 with a similar late comeback, also on a grand slam by Chris Taylor.

It was hardly surprising to see the Reds power up. They came into the game second in the National League to Washington with 88 home runs, and Votto and Schebler share the NL lead.

It just was atypical against the Dodgers, who came into the game ranked first in the league in lowest ERA and opponents' batting average, most strikeouts, fewest hits, runs and home runs allowed (61 entering the day). Los Angeles also has been difficult to beat at home, with an NL-best 24-10 record at Dodger Stadium.

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Starter Hyun-Jin Ryu was touched for three of the four home runs in just four innings. Duvall hit his first pitch of the second over the left field wall. After Eugenio Suarez singled, Schebler clubbed a 1-0 pitch to left for his 18th homer and 3-0 Reds lead.

The Dodgers got two back in the second. Second baseman Jose Peraza lost a Taylor pop-up in short right field for a two-base error, and Bellinger made him pay with a two-run home run to deep right.

Votto crushed the first pitch he saw from Ryu in the third to make it 4-2. Utley made it 4-3 in the fifth with his drive that center fielder Billy Hamilton almost corralled. Hamilton's leap over the fence was well-timed but the ball hit the heel of his glove and caromed off.

The Reds took command with a three-run sixth against reliever Ross Stripling topped by Mesoraco's home run.

NOTES: The Dodgers returned RHP Brandon Morrow to Triple-A Oklahoma City when they activated LHP Alex Wood from the disabled list. Morrow, 32, pitched well in his brief stay in Los Angeles, striking out seven and walking one in six innings and earning a pair of wins in relief. ... CF Joc Pederson homered in a rehab assignment game for Triple-A Oklahoma City. Manager Dave Roberts wants Pederson to get more steady at-bats before reactivating him. ... Reds LF Adam Duvall returned to the starting lineup Sunday after missing two games because of an illness. He celebrated his return by hitting the first pitch he saw from Hyun-Jin Ryu for his 15th home run of the season. CF Billy Hamilton was back in the Reds' lineup and hitting leadoff after getting a day of rest Saturday from manager Bryan Price. "He's beat up,'' Price said. "He needed a day.'' ... Reds C Stuart Turner continued to rehab his strained right hamstring at Triple-A Louisville. He's 9-for-37 during his rehab stint. "He's getting close," Price said. "It will be an organizational decision. I'm happy he's playing regularly and doing well.'' ... Reds RHP Homer Bailey, who went on the disabled list in February after undergoing arthroscopic surgery to re-attach a bone in his right elbow, threw five sharp innings in a rehab assignment at Double A-Pensacola Friday. He has rehab assignments left for Class A Dayton and Triple-A Louisville before the Reds will revisit plans for him to return to the team. ... Reds LHP Brandon Finnegan has a three-inning rehab session scheduled in Double-A Pensacola as he continues to work on the left shoulder injury that sidelined him in April.

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