The Dodgers won their fourth straight game and extended their NL West lead to two games over San Diego, which lost 4-3 at Seattle.
Ohtani (1-1) bounced back against the Reds in his 11th start of the season and first in which he went the minimum five innings to qualify for a win. The victory was his first since Aug. 9, 2023, with the Angels against San Francisco.
The two-way star allowed one run and two hits while walking two on a season-high 87 pitches, 53 for strikes, while retiring his final eight batters on his bobblehead night. At the plate, he was 1 for 5 with a run.
The Reds led 1-0 on Noelvi Marte's 410-foot homer on the first pitch by Ohtani in the third. It was the third homer Ohtani has allowed this season.
The Dodgers scored four runs to take a 4-1 lead in the fourth. Kikà Hernández, starting in place of injured Freddie Freeman, had a two-run single up the middle. It was the third straight single allowed by Nick Lodolo (8-7), who retired the first nine batters he faced.
Lodolo intentionally walked Miguel Rojas and Dalton Rushing followed with a two-run single to center. Michael Conforto added a solo shot in the eighth.
Fans at Dodger Stadium also received an Ohtani bobblehead celebrating his 50-50 season.
Key moment
Ohtani pitched his way out of trouble in the second. With one out, he walked Spencer Steer and Jose Trevino back-to-back. They moved up on two wild pitches - Ohtani's seventh and eighth of the season - before Ke'Bryan Hayes and Matt McLain went down swinging to end the inning.
Key stats
Los Angeles pitchers struck out a franchise record 19 batters for a nine-inning game.
Up next
After off days for both teams, Reds RHP Zack Littell (9-8, 3.62 ERA) starts Friday at home against St. Louis. Dodgers LHP Blake Snell (3-2, 1.97) starts Friday against visiting Arizona.
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