Reds at Dodgers
A pair of former teammates did all they could to torment the Los Angeles Dodgers, but Joc Pederson had the last word in the series opener. The Dodgers seek their third straight win following a six-game losing streak when they continue their three-game set against the visiting Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday.
Yasiel Puig and Matt Kemp, who were unloaded by Los Angeles in December in a salary dump, each recorded two of the Reds' seven hits and drove in all their runs in Monday's 4-3 loss - with the former belting a two-run homer off Clayton Kershaw, who worked seven solid innings in his season debut, in the first inning and the latter snapping a 2-2 tie in the ninth with an RBI single. The Dodgers refused to lose, however, as Pederson followed David Freese's leadoff walk in the bottom of the frame with a homer to right-center field to improve the club to 2-2 on its six-game homestand. Pederson has hit safely in five of his last six games, recording four home runs, a triple and six RBIs in that span. The first four batters in the lineup went a combined 6-for-16 for Cincinnati, which has lost back-to-back contests following a four-game winning streak.
TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, FS Ohio (Cincinnati), SportsNet LA (Los Angeles)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Reds RH Tyler Mahle (0-0, 0.82 ERA) vs. Dodgers RH Kenta Maeda (2-1, 4.76)
Mahle has allowed just one run and seven hits over 11 innings in his first two starts of the campaign but remains in search of his initial victory. The 24-year-old Californian worked six scoreless frames at Pittsburgh in his season debut before giving up one run on two hits and four walks versus Miami on Wednesday. Mahle also issued four free passes in his only career turn against the Dodgers on May 10 but came away with the win after permitting an unearned run and three hits over five innings in Los Angeles.
Maeda won his first two turns of the year but took the loss at St. Louis on Wednesday after surrendering five runs and seven hits in 5 1/3 innings. The 31-year-old native of Japan will be making his second start of 2019 at home, where he served up three solo homers over 6 2/3 frames in a victory over Arizona in his season debut on March 30. Maeda has posted a 4.61 ERA against Cincinnati in his career as he owns a 1-1 record in two starts while notching a save in his lone relief appearance versus the club.
WALK-OFFS
1. Dodgers OF Cody Bellinger exited Monday's contest following the third inning after being hit in the knee by a pitch in the bottom half of the frame.
2. Puig has recorded back-to-back two-hit performances to raise his batting average to .191 while Kemp has improved his to .195 by going 3-for-5 over his last two contests.
3. Los Angeles optioned RHP Jaime Schultz to Triple-A Oklahoma City to make room on the roster for Kershaw.