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Reds try to sweep Dodgers in LA

Jun 15, 2011 - 2:54 PM (Sports Network) - The Cincinnati Reds target a three-game sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers when the two clubs collide this afternoon at Chavez Ravine.

The Reds have won the first two installments of this series and haven't swept the Dodgers in three games in Hollywood since May 14-16, 2004. They are just 4-13 in their last 17 at Los Angeles, while the Dodgers are 17-9 in the past 26 matchups overall.

Cincinnati moved closer to breaking out the brooms with Tuesday's 3-2 victory, as starting pitcher Johnny Cueto limited LA to just one unearned run and five hits in seven innings for the win in his 100th career start.

"[Cueto] was dealing," said Reds manager Dusty Baker, who will celebrate his 62nd birthday Wednesday. "He was electric. He definitely deserved to win tonight."

Logan Ondrusek tossed a scoreless eighth inning and Francisco Cordero nailed down his 14th save in the ninth. Cordero is tied with Jeff Montgomery for 19th place on the all-time saves list with 304.

Joey Votto had an RBI single in the eighth inning to cushion the Reds' lead and Drew Stubbs finished 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored for Cincinnati, which is 4-2 on a seven-game road trip through San Francisco and Los Angeles. The Reds have won eight of their last 13 games. Votto is hitting .340 in June with three homers, 13 RBI and 10 runs scored in 13 games.

After this set in Los Angeles, the Reds will return home for interleague play versus the Blue Jays and Yankees. They will hand the ball to Travis Wood tonight and he's 4-4 with a 5.38 ERA in 14 starts this season. He did not record a decision in Friday's 3-2 loss to the Giants and lasted eight innings, allowing two runs and 11 hits.

Wood, a left-hander, faced the Dodgers for the first time in his career in a 9-6 loss on June 5 at Great American Ball Park, where he was hit for eight runs over 4 2/3 innings for the loss. Wood is 1-1 in seven road starts.

Los Angeles went 5-5 on a 10-game road trip before losing the first two games of this series with Cincy. It is 0-2 on a 12-game homestand versus the Reds, Astros, Tigers and Angels, and dropped a tough one last night.

Dodgers starter Clayton Kershaw pitched well enough for the win, but did not factor in the outcome with seven innings of one-run ball. Blake Hawksworth was dealt the loss for allowing the go-ahead run to score in the eighth inning.

"[Kershaw] was good," said Dodgers manager Don Mattingly. "He was solid. He really pitched well. [Cueto] had great stuff. We just weren't able to crack through him."

Dee Gordon had two hits and a run scored, while James Loney knocked in the only run for the Dodgers, who have lost five of seven games.

Chad Billingsley takes the ball for LA tonight and is 5-5 with a 4.13 earned run average in 14 starts. He had a three-game winning streak stopped in Friday's 6-5 loss at Colorado and permitted six runs and 13 hits in 4 2/3 innings. Billingsley is 3-4 in his previous seven decisions.

The right-hander defeated Cincinnati on June 5 even though he was reached for four runs in five innings of a 9-6 triumph. Billingsley is 5-2 with a 3.86 ERA in nine career games (8 starts) against the Reds.