LOS ANGELES (AP) - Walker Buehler pitched six sharp innings with seven strikeouts in his third start since returning from Tommy John surgery, leading the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 4-0 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Saturday night.
Freddie Freeman had two hits and drove in a run for the Dodgers, who have won 18 of 24 games to surge 7 1/2 games ahead of San Diego atop the NL West. Teoscar Hernandez and Andy Pages also had run-scoring hits for Los Angeles.
Buehler (1-1) yielded three hits and no walks in a dominant performance to earn his first major league victory since May 24, 2022. After looking somewhat shaky and wild in his first two starts back from his second Tommy John procedure, the two-time All-Star controlled his breaking pitches against Cincinnati and rediscovered the form he has usually shown when healthy during his first six seasons with the Dodgers.
Buehler and his three relievers combined on a three-hitter, with the bullpen pitching three perfect innings.
Graham Ashcraft (3-3) yielded three hits, three walks and three runs over five innings for the Reds, who have lost two straight and 14 of 17. Cincinnati was shut out for the fourth time this season.
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The Reds lost despite handling Shohei Ohtani, who went 0 for 4 for only the fifth time since joining the Dodgers. Mookie Betts also got his first rest day of the season for the Dodgers, who moved Ohtani to the leadoff spot.
Ashcraft held the Dodgers hitless for the first three innings, but he walked Freeman and Hernandez in the fourth before Pages delivered an RBI single. Hernandez then scored on Gavin Lux's groundout.
Jake Fraley was gifted a one-out triple in the fifth when Dodgers left fielder Miguel Vargas inexplicably cut in front of Pages, causing both outfielders to miss a catchable ball, but Buehler calmly got two more outs.
Miguel Rojas doubled and scored on Freeman's single in the fifth. Freeman then doubled and scored on Hernandez's single in the eighth.
Reds outfielder Jacob Hurtubise got his first major league hit with a single in the third inning. The 26-year-old U.S. Military Academy graduate was called up Monday, becoming the first major leaguer to use a new exemption policy allowing West Point grads to defer their military service while playing professional sports.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Dodgers: Clayton Kershaw threw off the mound before the game in his latest step in his return from offseason shoulder surgery. He isn't expected to begin his 17th season with Los Angeles until July or August. ... RHP Bobby Miller (right shoulder) also threw a bullpen session. He hasn't pitched in a game since April 13.
UP NEXT
Los Angeles native Hunter Greene (2-2, 3.27 ERA) will make the second Dodger Stadium start of his career for Cincinnati. The Dodgers haven't announced their starter.
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