Reds 6, Dodgers 0
Jay Bruce and Brandon Phillips homered and Mat Latos tossed eight sizzling innings as host Cincinnati clinched its second National League Central crown in three years.
Latos (13-4) gave up six hits with no walks and seven strikeouts for Cincinnati, which led 1-0 on Bruce’s 34th homer to lead off the fourth against Stephen Fife (0-2).
Fife yielded two runs over five frames for Los Angeles, which fell to 5-11 over its last 16 games and dropped three games behind St. Louis for the second NL wild-card spot with 10 games to play.
The Dodgers were outhit 8-6 with no extra-base hits and scored three runs or less for the 13th time in 16 games.
Brandon Phillips homered in the seventh and Zack Cozart’s two-run double capped a four-run eighth inning for Cincinnati, which has won 18 of Latos’ last 23 starts - including five in a row.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Reds manager Dusty Baker missed his fourth straight game with an irregular heartbeat. … Dodgers C A.J. Ellis went 0-for-2 and is hitless in his last 28 at-bats dating back to Sept. 11. …Cincinnati closer Aroldis Chapman, out since Sept. 10 with left shoulder fatigue, pitched a scoreless ninth inning.