Dodgers Run Away With Rainy Win Behind a Josh Beckett Gem

The Dodgers seem to play much better on the road than home this season even though they’ve had to battle rain and snow delays on just about every road trip. Tuesday’s game in Cincinnati was delayed by more than two hours while the Dodgers and Reds waited for the thunderstorm to pass. The game finally got underway, and the Dodgers were able to capture their 35th victory of the season behind The New Beckett.

Josh Beckett only allowed 2 hits over 6 solid innings of work, and other than a rising changeup which hit Zack Cozart in the face, Beckett didn’t

make many mistakes. He has been pitching superbly this season, and I venture out to say that he deserves an All-Star nod if he keep this up.

Of course the night wouldn’t be complete before the Dodgers’ bullpen came in and made us all lose our relaxed feelings to this point. Paul Maholm ruined the shutout in the seventh when he allowed Cincinnati’s only run on a Cozart RBI single. Chris Perez and Brian Wilson followed with inconsistent outings, but Jamey Wright shut down the Reds in the bottom of the ninth to secure the win.

Adrian Gonzalez seemed to be coming out of his slump just a little, and he had two hits and a RBI but he did strike out thrice. Matt Kemp had a bad night, and he struck out four times while walking once. Andre Ethier had a two-hit night and a RBI double in the second. Dee Gordon also hit a RBI double in the fifth before Hanley drove in a run with a single in the inning. Justin Turner had a RBI single in the sixth, and Gonzo’s RBI double came in the seventh.

Dodgers 6 12 0

Reds 1 9 0

WP- Beckett (4-3)

LP- Leake (3-6)

Golden Sombrero- Matt Kemp (4Ks)

Here’s how the Dodgers took Game 2:

After the lengthy rain delay, Mike Leake still seems to be warmed up and ready. Leake pitches a perfect first inning and finishes off the frame by striking out Yasiel Puig.

Josh Beckett counters Leake with a perfect inning of his own in the bottom of the first. Beckett ends his frame with a strikeout to Joey Votto who is fresh off the disabled list.

The Dodgers strike first on a RBI double by Andre Ethier in the top of the second. Adrian Gonzalez led off the inning by clocking a double to center field thus snapping his horrible hitless 0-for-20 slump. Matt Kemp strikes out. Ethier’s base hit to left field allows Gonzo to score and Dre ends up at second on the throw home, and the Dodgers lead 1-0.

Beckett retires the first six batters he has faced, and he sends Cincinnati down in order in the second while striking out Jay Bruce and Devin

Jun 10, 2014; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Josh Beckett (61) pitches during the first inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Frank Victores-USA TODAY Sports

Mesoraco.

Leake pitches another 1-2-3 inning in the top of the third as Beckett, Gordon, and Hanley are all retired consecutively.

The Reds get their first hit of the game in the bottom of the third with two outs. The opposing pitcher Mike Leake is the one to snap Beckett’s eight men retired in a row string with a single to center field. Billy Hamilton makes the third out by grounding out softly in front of home plate, and Drew Butera throws out the speedy runner at first.

Yasiel Puig doubles to left field to lead-off the top of the fourth for the Dodgers. Adrian Gonzalez goes right back to slumping and strikes out swinging versus Leake. Matt Kemp strikes out for the second time and fouls a ball off his shin during the at-bat. Ethier flies out to former friend Skip Schumaker to end the inning.

Todd Frazier singles to lead-off the bottom of the fourth for Cincy. Joey Votto, still a bit rusty, strikes out for the second time against Beckett. Brandon Phillips flies out. With Jay Bruce at the plate, Frazier steals second. Beckett doesn’t think the runner at second is a problem, and he strikes out Bruce to end the frame.

The Dodgers hang up three more runs on the scoreboard in the fifth inning. Justin Turner leads off the with a single to center. Butera flies out, but Beckett pulls back his bunt and slaps a single over Frazier’s head and into left field. Dee Gordon then comes up with a clutch double to left field, and Turner comes in to score. Then Hanley Ramirez follows with a single to right field, and two more runs come in! It’s now 4-0 Dodgers. Puig strikes out and Hanley is picked off to end the rally and inning.

With two out in the bottom of the fifth, Zack Cozart is hit in the face by a Josh Beckett pitch and goes down. Beckett is noticeably shocked, but Cozart is able to get up and take first after shaking it off. Leake lines out to left to end the scary inning.

Gonzo strikes out again in the top of the sixth. Matt Kemp draws a walk. The Dodgers win a challenge call on an infield single by Ethier who just beats out the throw at first by Phillips. Justin Turner then singles home Kemp, and the Dodgers lead 5-0 as Leake comes out of the game. Sam LeCure will come out of the Cincinnati bullpen in relief with two on and one out. LeCure promptly gives up a walk to Butera to load up the bases for the Dodgers. The Dodgers can’t cash in anymore runs as Beckett flies out and Gordon strikes out swinging.

Mike Leake pitched 5 1/3 innings and allowed 5 runs on 9 hits with 7 strikeouts and a walk on 98 pitches.

Beckett only allows a two-out walk to Votto in the bottom of the sixth as he pitches another scoreless inning.

Jun 10, 2014; Cincinnati, OH, USA; General view of Great American Ball Park during a rain delay prior to the game against the Cincinnati Reds and the Los Angeles Dodgers . Mandatory Credit: Frank Victores-USA TODAY Sports

With LeCure pitching his second inning in relief, the Dodgers notch another run in the seventh thanks to a one-out single and stolen base by Puig and a RBI double by Gonzo! Kemp strikes out for the third time. Ethier is hit by a pitch, but Turner grounds out to end the inning.

Paul Maholm will take over for Josh Beckett in the bottom of the seventh. Beckett pitched 6 shutout innings while only allowing 2 hits while striking out 7 and walking one on 90 pitches.

Jay Bruce leads off with a double . Mesoraco follows with a single, and we all yearn for Beckett to come back. Zack Cozart who was hit in the ear flap of his helmet earlier in the game, singles in Bruce to get the Red Legs on the board. Don Mattingly will take out Maholm who was only able to get one out and blew the shutout. Chris Perez will come in to face pinch-hitter Chris Heisey with two on and one out. Perez rears back to strikeout Heisey. Billy Hamilton smacks a single to center, and the Reds have loaded up the bases with two outs. Then Perez goes 3-2 on Todd Frazier, but finally ends the threat by inducing a groundout to short. That could have been a lot worse.

My chill Josh Beckett two-hitter vibe suddenly was replaced by Dodgers’ bullpen anxiety and we still have two innings to go…

Seam Marshall, a lefty, will pitch the top of the eighth for the Reds. Butera leads off with a single to center field. Jamie Romak flies out to right field. Gordon flies out to left. Hanley Ramirez draws a walk which draws some loud boos from the thinning crowd at Great American Ball Park after midnight. Puig grounds into a force out to end the inning.

Brian Wilson is in for the bottom of the eighth along with Miguel Rojas who is in for Hanley at short. Votto singles to lead-off. Phillips grounds into a 6-4-3 double play. Wilson walks Bruce. Skip Schumaker strikes out swinging to end the inning and finally take us to the ninth.

J.J. Hoover will pitch the top of the ninth for Cincy. Gonzo strikes out for the third time, but then again he did get 2 hits and drove in a run. Kemp then strikes out for the fourth time and the Golden Sombrero. Ethier grounds out, and Hoover pitches a perfect inning.

Jamey Wright is in for the bottom of the ninth. Jamey hasn’t pitch in 6 days. Cozart grounds out to first. Roger Bernadina grounds out. Hamilton singles and takes second on defensive indifference. Frazier grounds out, and the Dodgers win.

The Dodgers win their 35th game of the year and are 22-12 on the road which is the best in the N.L.  They will go for a season-high fourth win in a row tomorrow afternoon. Hyun-jin Ryu will counter Johnny Cueto in a much anticipated match up for Game 3.