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Penny excellent as Dodgers continue to dominate Reds

May 13, 2007 - 6:16 AM LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- Brad Penny's continued outstanding pitching helped the Los Angeles Dodgers continue their dominance over the Cincinnati Reds.

Penny started a big uprising and pitched into the seventh inning as the Dodgers defeated the Reds for an eighth consecutive time, 7-3, in the second of a three-game series on Saturday.

Luis Gonzalez went 3-for-3 and scored three runs for Los Angeles, which has not lost to Cincinnati since July 28, 2005.

"We got a great pitching performance from Penny today and he's been pitching lights out for us this year," Dodgers' manager Grady Little said. "It was good to get runs on the board early and let him (Penny) work with a comfortable lead."

The Dodgers starting pitcher drew a two-out bases-loaded walk on five pitches off Kyle Lohse in the fourth inning to give the Dodgers a 2-1 lead after Reds manager Jerry Narron decided to intentionally walk rookie Andy LaRoche with runners on second and third base.

"I was just being patient and looking for a pitch to handle but all the pitches to me were out of the zone. It's just good to help yourself out in anyway and I'll take a RBI anytime."

Rafael Furcal followed with an infield single that drove in Gonzalez and Juan Pierre blooped a single into right, scoring LaRoche and Penny for a 5-1 edge. Nomar Garciaparra capped the inning with an RBI single.

"That inning for us was a big inning and my hit gave us a little bit more of a cushion," Pierre said.

Lohse (1-4) had his worst start of the season, giving up six runs and eight hits in four innings to lose his fourth straight decision.

"I feel behind to some of their guys and it put me in tough spots," Lohse said. "I just didn't have a lot of control or command on my pitches."

While Penny sparked the offense he shut down the Cincinnati offense. After giving up an RBI single to Ken Griffey Jr. in the top of the first, Penny retired 17 straight batters.

"I had all my pitches going for me today, and my fastball was working good," Penny said.

Penny (5-0), who entered with a major league-best 1.39 ERA, gave up one run and four hits with a walk and four strikeouts.

"He (Penny) kept our guys off-balance all night and mixed all of his pitches up," Reds slugger Adam Dunn said. "He's one of the league's best pitchers."

The Dodgers drew even in the second inning, when Andre Either hit a sacrifice fly which drove in Gonzalez.

Jose Valentin doubled in two runs in the ninth to cap the scoring for Cincinnati, who have lost five of six and nine of 11.