Mat Latos Hammered by Former Team As Reds Rock Dodgers 10-3

Brandon Phillips and Eugenio Suarez knocked in seven runs and the Cincinnati Reds beat up on the Los Angeles Dodgers 10-3 on Thursday night in the opener of a four game set at Dodger Stadium.

Phillips went 2-for-5 with a double, run scored and three RBIs as the Dodgers allowed double-digit runs for just the fifth time this season.

Reds' shortstop Eugenio Suarez flashed the leather on the field, and joined his middle infield teammate in beating up on LA's pitching. Suarez had a career high three hits, and four RBIs as he finished 3-for-5 with two doubles and a three-run homer.

The Reds won their second consecutive game on the road, racking up 15 hits and scoring double-digit runs for the sixth time this season. After exchanging words with their former teammate in Spring Training, Cincinnati jumped all over Mat Latos early and often.

Latos (4-9) faced his former team for the first time since he was traded away after the 2014 season. Latos played with the Reds from 2012-2014; arguably the best years of his career as he went 33-16 with a 3.31 ERA and threw over 200 innings in 2012 and 2013 helping Cincinnati reach the playoffs in each of those seasons.

"Who cares," Latos said about facing his former team. "I have to turn the page, it's done and over with and I have to worry about what I have to worry about here."

However, Latos struggled against his former team on Thursday. The right-hander allowed five runs (four earned) for the second straight start to go with seven hits and seven strikeouts in 4.2 innings. Latos has not been as good as advertised since the Miami Marlins traded him at the deadline. Latos is 0-2 with a 6.75 ERA in his three starts as a Dodger.

"It is kinda like spring training all over again trying to get used to a new team and a new catcher," said Latos of his outings since joining the Dodgers. "I have to get back to the way I used to throw and not try and become something I'm not."

Cincinnati speedster Billy Hamilton had his first four-hit game of his career. Batting in the nine-hole, Hamilton had three singles and hit a solo home run in the top of the eighth inning. Hamilton flashed the speed that has him leading the Majors in stolen bases with 53.

"Today was one of those days where I had it back on and said 'I can hit,'" Hamilton told the media of his career game at the plate. "The season hasn't been going as well as I've wanted it to offensively, but tonight put my confidence way up there."

Hamilton had one stolen base on Thursday, but advanced from first to third on a pick off attempt that got past Adrian Gonzalez for an error in the third inning.

Joc Pederson hit his 22nd homer of the season in the bottom of the fourth inning off of Reds' starter Keyvuis Sampson. It was just Pederson's second home run in his last 34 games as the rookie has struggled since the All-Star Break.

Sampson (2-1) made the third start of his young career and was excellent holding the Dodgers to just two runs on five hits in 5 innings. The Reds' rookie has now won back-to-back starts and as a staff have allowed three runs or fewer in 11 of their last 12 games since trading away Mike Leake and ace Johnny Cueto at the deadline.

"When those guys go out there and put up 10 runs – seven when I was in there – you've got to go out there and find a way to get it done," Sampson said. "I didn't have my best stuff and I didn't have my best control, but I still had to get it done."

Justin Turner returned to action in the fifth inning after a double-switch saw the redhead takeover the hot corner for the remainder of the game. Turner leadoff the bottom half of the inning with a 330-foot single off the right field wall in his first at-bat since coming off the disabled list.

"I felt pretty good, and I was just trying to make sure I was early and on time for the fastball and got a good pitch," Turner said of the his first-at bat. "I got a nice greeting from the fans which was pretty nice, it almost felt like the first game of the season."

Turner missed the team's last 14 games with a staph infection in his right thigh, but finished the night 1-for-3 with a run scored.

"It caught me off guard, and I didn't know a whole lot about MRSA," Turner said of the infection. "It was a reality check real quick, I was unfortunate that Stan [Conte] didn't waste any time and got me into the emergency room no questions asked."

Game Notes:
Yasmani Grandal was scratched before the game with a sore left shoulder, but is expected to return on Friday in the second game of the series.

Turner was activated from the 15-day DL before the game and second baseman Jose Peraza was sent down to Triple-A OKC to make room.

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