CINCINNATI -- Michael Lorenzen could barely make it to the plate after recording the third out of his first inning following the death of his father.
Once he got there, he made it count. The Cincinnati reliever hit a three-run homer to cap the Reds' 9-2 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday night. It was the first home run of his major league career.
"Even after the third out of my first inning, I needed to go back into the bathroom because I broke down," said Lorenzen, activated from the bereavement list before the game. "There were some teammates who helped me out, and I was able to go out and hit."
Joey Votto also hit a three-run homer as the Reds snapped a nine-game losing streak against the Dodgers.
Tim Adleman pitched into and out of trouble in his first start since May 19 and added his first career hit and runs batted in as the Reds matched their season high with a fourth consecutive win and first against the Dodgers since Aug 13, 2015.
Los Angeles hit four balls to the outfield wall, but three were caught for outs in Adleman's five scoreless innings. Adleman (2-1), who was sidelined with a strained left oblique, allowed five hits with two walks and three strikeouts. He also hit Joc Pederson twice with pitches.
The Dodgers were 0 for 8 with runners in scoring position against Adleman, leaving runners on third four times.
"Getting out of those situations had a lot to do with the defense," Adleman said.
Bud Norris (6-10) gave up six runs and seven hits in 3 2/3 innings in his first start since July 31 due to a back strain. He struck out three and walked four while lasting fewer than five innings for the 10th time in 17 starts this season.
The Reds wasted no time pouncing on Norris, who had trouble with the pitching mound while warming up for the first inning and needed some maintenance. The first five batters reached base, four with hits, including Votto's blast over the center field wall for his 20th home run of the season.
"A big piece of clay came out," Norris said about the mound issue. "They came out and fixed it. It was always there, but it's not really an excuse. It didn't go my way."
The Reds sent nine batters to the plate while knocking Norris out in their three-run fourth. He walked Tucker Barnhart intentionally to get to Adleman with two outs and Eugenio Suarez on second. The pitcher crossed him up with a two-run double up the right-center field gap.
Lorenzen hit his first career home run in the seventh. He had to be prodded by his teammates as the crowd of 28,184 pleaded for a curtain call.
"The Lorenzen home run was emotional for all of us," manager Bryan Price said. "If you stay in this game long enough, you still think you won't see anything like that. It was so improbable. It was majestic and poetic The emotions were palpable and got stronger when he got to the dugout. The curtain call showed there was some awareness in the crowd."
Mystery guest
LHP Julio Urias will start for the Dodgers in Sunday's third game of the series. Urias is 3-2 with a 4.41 ERA in 12 overall appearances, including 10 starts, the last on Aug. 8 against Philadelphia in Los Angeles. Sunday's starter previously had been listed as "to be announced."
Rarefied air
Votto's homer gives him seven 20-homer seasons with the Reds, tying him with Adam Dunn and George Foster for fifth on the Reds' list of players with seasons of 20 or more home runs. His four RBIs give him 700 in his career.
Hard knocks
The fans in the left field corner gave LF Tony Renda a standing ovation after he slammed into the wall on consecutive fly balls in the second inning. The ball was knocked loose for a double the first time, but he hung on to the second drive, earning the applause.
Training room
Dodgers: LHP Rich Hill, on the disabled list since July 18 with a left middle finger blister, threw 75 pitches in a simulated game on Thursday at the Dodgers' spring training facility. Roberts said Hill most likely will be activated next week.
Reds: OF Adam Duvall missed his fourth consecutive start on Friday after fouling a ball off of his left instep on Monday. He was available to pinch-hit.
Up next
Dodgers: LHP Brett Anderson (0-1) is scheduled to make his second start of the season after making his 2016 debut last Sunday after recovering from herniated disk surgery. He is 2-0 with a 2.13 ERA in two career starts against Cincinnati.
Reds: LHP Brandon Finnegan (7-9) lost a complete-game 1-0 decision to Clayton Kershaw and the Dodgers on May 23 in Los Angeles.
