Aug 19, 2016; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Reds relief pitcher Michael Lorenzen (21) reacts next to Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Yasmani Grandal (9) after Lorenzen hit his first career home run, a three-run home run, during the seventh inning at Great American Ball Park. The Reds won 9-2. Photo Credit: David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports
CINCINNATI — Reds relief pitcher Michael Lorenzen said he has had one curtain call in his professional career, when he hit a grand slam for Double-A Pensacola in 2014.
But when the fans urged him out of the dugout on Friday night at Great American Ball Park, the significance of the moment wasn’t lost on anyone on the field, in the dugout or in the stands.
“Emotional for all of us,” Reds manager Bryan Price said. “Divine intervention, for sure.”
Lorenzen, who was reinstated from the bereavement list on Friday after the death of his father, belted his first career home run, a three-run blast in the seventh inning, and Joey Votto added a three-run shot, lifting Cincinnati to a 9-2 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers.
“Everything happens for a reason,” Lorenzen said after the game, fighting back tears. “Everything that happened tonight, I don’t think I’ll ever feel that way again. My family needed that.”
Cincinnati won its fourth straight game to tie a season high while ending a nine-game losing streak to Los Angeles. The Reds, whose pitchers drove in five runs, improved to 20-12 since the All-Star break.
Dodgers right-hander Bud Norris (6-10), who was reinstated from the 15-day disabled list before Friday’s game, allowed six runs and seven hits 3 2/3 innings.
The loss dropped Los Angeles into a first-place tie with the San Francisco Giants in the National League West.
Lorenzen batted for himself with two runners on in the seventh and launched a three-run homer to the opposite field on the first pitch from Pedro Baez to make it 9-1.
After Lorenzen’s first career homer, the fans summoned him for an emotional curtain call and he obliged.
“I think this curtain call was a little more special (than Double-A),” Lorenzen said.
Lorenzen also turned in 1 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing two hits and a strikeout. He had to gather himself between innings while being overcome with emotion. His father, Clif Lorenzen, passed away earlier this week.
“I needed to go back into the bathroom (between innings) because I broke down,” Lorenzen said. “There were some teammates who helped me out.”
Right-hander Tim Adleman (2-1) got the win after allowing five hits.
Norris, pitching for the first time since July 31, had difficulty with the mound in the first inning. He summoned the grounds crew to reshape the dirt in front of the rubber, then kept pounding it with his spikes.
“A big piece of clay came out,” Norris said of the mound issue. “They came out and fixed it. It was always there, but it’s not really an excuse. It didn’t go my way.”
Norris didn’t help himself with a leadoff walk to Billy Hamilton. Or with Votto’s three-run homer to center two batters later to put the Dodgers in an early 3-0 hole.
Norris gave up three runs, four hits and a walk before retiring a batter.
“He never got comfortable,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “He was working behind hitters. He settled in OK … but the fourth inning got away from him. He was a little frustrated with the grip of the baseball … and a little bit with the strike zone.”
An inning-ending double play averted further damage for Norris and he retired the next eight batters he faced.
Adleman who was making his fifth career start and first appearance against the Dodgers, worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the third.
With two runners on and two outs in the fourth, the Dodgers chose to intentionally walk catcher Tucker Barnhart to pitch to Adleman, who was hitless in his career.
But Adleman came through with a two-run double to right center, making the score 5-0. It was the first career hit, double, and RBIs for Adleman.
“I don’t think you can count on five RBIs from your pitchers every night,” Price said. “But I’ll take that tonight.”
NOTES: Dodgers LHP Clayton Kershaw threw off flat ground Friday inside Great American Ball Park and plans to throw 20-25 pitches in a bullpen session on Saturday, then 40 pitches Tuesday in Los Angeles. Beyond that, the Dodgers are taking a wait-and-see approach. “We’ve got a good plan in place,” manager Dave Roberts said. “I’m always cautiously optimistic.” Kershaw is on the 60-day disabled list with a herniated disk. … Dodgers LHP Julio Urias will start Sunday. … Reds LF Adam Duvall was out of the lineup again after fouling a ball of his foot on Monday. He’ll likely return Saturday.
