Lorenzen, Votto homer in Reds' 9-2 victory
CINCINNATI -- Relief pitcher Michael Lorenzen and Joey Votto hit three-run homers and Tim Adleman pitched five shutout innings as the Cincinnati Reds defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 9-2 in the opener of a four-game series Friday night at Great American Ball Park.
Cincinnati won its fourth straight game to tie a season high while ending a nine-game losing streak to Los Angeles. The Reds, whose pitchers drove in five runs, improved to 20-12 since the All-Star break.
Dodgers right-hander Bud Norris (6-10), who was reinstated from the 15-day disabled list prior to Friday's game, allowed six runs and seven hits 3 2/3 innings.
The loss dropped Los Angeles into a first-place tie with the San Francisco Giants in the National League West standings.
Lorenzen, a right-hander who was reinstated from the bereavement list prior to Friday's game following the death of his father, batted for himself with two runners on in the seventh inning and launched a three-run homer to the opposite field on the first pitch from Pedro Baez to make it 9-1.
Following Lorenzen's first career homer, the fans summoned him for an emotional curtain call and he obliged. Lorenzen also turned in 1 2/3 scoreless innings.
Adleman (2-1) got the win after allowing five hits.
Norris, pitching for the first time since July 31, had difficulty with the mound in the first inning. He summoned the grounds crew to reshape the dirt in front of the rubber, then kept pounding it with his spikes.
He didn't help himself with a leadoff walk to Billy Hamilton. Or with Votto's three-run home run to center two batters later to put the Dodgers in an early 3-0 hole.
Norris gave up three runs, four hits and a walk before retiring a batter.
An inning-ending double play averted further damage for Norris and he retired the next eight batters he faced.
Adleman who was making his fifth career start and first appearance against the Dodgers, worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the third.
With two runners on and two outs in the fourth, the Dodgers chose to intentionally walk catcher Tucker Barnhart to pitch to Adleman, who was hitless in his career.
But, Adleman came through with a two-run double to right-center, making the score 5-0. It was the first career hit, double, and RBIs for Adleman.
A bases-loaded walk to Votto later in the inning made the score 6-0 and ended Norris' afternoon.
Adleman finished with five shutout innings with only five hits allowed.
NOTES: Dodgers LHP Clayton Kershaw threw off flat ground Friday inside Great American Ball Park and plans to throw 20-25 pitches in a bullpen session on Saturday, then 40 pitches Tuesday in Los Angeles. Beyond that, the Dodgers are taking a wait-and-see approach. "We've got a good plan in place," said manager Dave Roberts. "I'm always cautiously optimistic." Kershaw is on the 60-day disabled list with a herniated disk. ... Dodgers LHP Julio Urias will start Sunday. ... Reds LF Adam Duvall was out of the lineup again after fouling a ball of his foot on Monday. He'll likely return Saturday.