On Thursday afternoon, before his offense spent another night in a stupor and his bullpen set another game ablaze, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts allowed himself to hope. He looked at the lineup of the Cincinnati Reds, a team with fewer victories than any other in the National League. The Reds arrived at Dodger Stadium for a four-game series, the optimal opponent for the listless Dodgers as they attempt to resurrect their season.
The Dodgers fell short of that goal in a 4-1 loss on Thursday. The lineup neglected to provide plentiful support for rookie Walker Buehler. After five seamless innings, Buehler permitted a two-run double to Reds second baseman Scooter Gennett in the sixth.