LOS ANGELES (AP) — Eugenio Suarez and Joey Votto homered, and the last-place Cincinnati Reds beat Los Angeles 5-3 Sunday for their first four-game sweep of the Dodgers since the Big Red Machine accomplished the feat in August 1976.
Luis Castillo (3-4) allowed three runs — two earned — and four hits in six innings with eight strikeouts and no walks. Making his first appearance against Los Angeles, Castillo faced 20 batters, just two over the minimum.
The defending NL champion Dodgers finished a 1-5 homestand and have lost seven of eight. At 16-23 they are fourth in the NL West, just one game ahead of San Diego.
Cincinnati has won six straight games following an 8-27 start yet remains last in the NL Central.
Three relievers finished the four-hitter. Raisel Iglesias got three straight outs for his seventh save in eight chances.
Rich Hill (1-2) gave up three runs — two earned — six hits and four walks over 5 2/3 innings and 98 pitches. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts and a trainer went to the mound with two outs in the sixth and looked at the left middle finger of Hill, who had a blister on the finger that caused him to go on the disabled list from April 7-16 and from April 17 to May 16.
Suarez hit a two-run homer in the third, and Yasiel Puig cut the lead in half in the bottom half with his first home run since Game 5 of last year's World Series.
Alex Blandino's sacrifice bunt drove in a run in the fourth, and Votto hit a two-run homer for a 5-1 lead in the sixth.
Yasmani Grandal hit a solo homer in the seventh and Cody Bellinger followed with a single that chased Castillo
Bellinger started, a day after ignoring a take sign and attempting a bunt with a 3-0 count in the ninth inning of a 5-3 defeat. Bellinger was benched a couple of weeks ago for not hustling.
"To his credit, he came in last night and took accountability for it," Roberts said. "So for me, as a young player, that's the biggest win. To not make an excuse and own it and move on."
Animal matters
A raccoon was found by a member of the cleaning crew in the visitor's bullpen. Animal Control was called and by about 2½ hours before game time, an employee trapped the raccoon in a cage and took the critter away. Many of the Reds players hadn't arrived on their team bus from Pasadena while the raccoon wrapped himself around a bar in the bullpen.
Trainer's room
INF Scooter Gennett (shoulder) was given the day off.
Up next
RHP Sal Romano (2-3, 3.83) is to start Monday at San Francisco.
