The Cincinnati Reds had a huge night on Wednesday, as they defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 9-0 to take the lead in the National League Central Division. The Reds were led by a stellar performance from starting pitcher Luis Castillo, who tossed seven shutout innings and allowed just two hits. He was backed up by a strong offensive showing from Eugenio Suarez and Joey Votto, who both homered in the game.
The Reds got off to a fast start, scoring three runs in the first inning. Suarez got things started with a solo home run, followed by a two-run blast from Votto. The Reds added two more runs in the fourth inning on an RBI double from Tucker Barnhart and an RBI single from Jesse Winker.
The Reds continued to pile on the runs in the sixth inning, as Suarez hit his second home run of the game and Winker added an RBI single. The Reds capped off their scoring with three more runs in the eighth inning, highlighted by an RBI double from Nick Senzel.
Castillo was masterful on the mound, as he allowed just two hits and struck out six batters. He was backed up by a solid performance from the bullpen, as Amir Garrett, Michael Lorenzen, and Raisel Iglesias combined to pitch two scoreless innings.
The win was the Reds’ fifth in a row and it moved them into first place in the NL Central, one game ahead of the Milwaukee Brewers. The Reds will look to keep their momentum going as they head into a four-game series against the St. Louis Cardinals this weekend.
The Reds have been playing great baseball lately and it’s been led by the play of Suarez and Votto. Suarez is now hitting .312 with 15 home runs and 50 RBIs on the season, while Votto is hitting .288 with 14 home runs and 44 RBIs. If these two continue to produce at this level, the Reds should be in good shape to make a run at the division title.
