Boy are they red in the face.
Scooter Gennett knocked in three of the four runs and the Cincinnati Reds defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers, 4-1, on Thursday night at Dodger Stadium.
Entering the game, the Reds were tied for the second worst record in baseball (10-27), but a date with the Dodgers is a cure for what ails you these days.
After losing series to the lowly Marlins and Padres, the Dodgers have been stuck in the mud through the first 37 games of the season.
The most recent flaw for the reigning National League pennant winners has been the ability to hit with runners in scoring position.
Needless to say, it was much of the same for the Boys in Blue on Thursday.
The Dodgers went 1-for-7 with RISP and left eight men on base in their loss to the Reds.
"I don't know," said a visibly frustrated Dave Roberts after the game when asked why his team has struggled with RISP at the plate. "I usually have an answer. It's been a trend we've seen all year. Recently, we've gotten guys on base and had a chance to break a game open and haven't been able to come through."
Chase Utley picked up where he left off last night with a bases loaded RBI single in the bottom of the first inning.
Utley's RBI would be the only hit with runners in scoring position on the night, and the only run the Dodgers would score in the game.
"Chase had the right approach there," said Roberts of the bases loaded at-bat. "He shortened up his swing and got a hit. Other guys aren't doing that. You have to have a lot of clubs in the bag. You can’t play golf with just one club, and right now we’re a one-club team."
After five shutout innings, Scooter Gennett got the Reds on the board with a two-run double off Walker Buehler in the top of the sixth.
"I have to finish that guy [Gennett] off," Buehler said of his start. "I made one bad pitch and I gave up two runs. It's frustrating for me. This team is trying to win games. I can't give up two runs when we only have one."
Buehler (2-1) recorded his first career loss as the rookie surrendered two runs on five hits with no walks and eight strikeouts in six innings in just his fourth start of the season.
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"Walker pitched his tail off tonight," said Roberts. "He had no margin for error and ends up wearing the loss. It's very frustrating and I expect those guys in the clubhouse to be as frustrated as I am."
Before Gennett's two-out double, Buehler had recorded 15 consecutive scoreless innings, the longest by a Dodgers pitcher this season.
"I'm getting more confident in the fact that I can get guys out here," said Buehler of his scoreless streak. "I still have to be pretty fine in certain situations and I didn't do that tonight."
One inning later, the fastest man in Major League Baseball, Billy Hamilton, hit an RBI triple down the right field line that extended the Cincinnati lead to 3-1.
Gennett tacked on an insurance run for the Reds with a solo shot off Daniel Hudson in the top of the eighth inning.
In his eighth start of the season, Tyler Mahle did not factor in the decision, allowing just one unearned run on three hits with a career-high four walks and two strikeouts in five innings.
"I was just missing my spots," said Mahle, a Newport Beach native. "I made some big pitches in some big situations with runners in scoring position."
The Dodgers had won their last eight consecutive games against the Reds before tonight's loss, their fourth in the last five games, but have still been victorious in 17 of their last 20 games against Cincinnati.
Up Next:
RHP Matt Harvey makes his Cincinnati Reds debut on Friday against RHP Kenta Maeda. First pitch is scheduled for 7:10PM PST.
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