CINCINNATI (Interstat) — Tarik Skubal pitched seven shutout innings and Kyle Tucker and Teoscar Hernández homered as the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Cincinnati Reds 4-1 on Monday night, Sept. 14, 2026, at Great American Ball Park. The victory clinched Los Angeles’ 14th consecutive playoff berth, tying the record set by Atlanta from 1991 through 2005. The Dodgers improved to 90-57 and cut their magic number to three for a fifth straight NL West title and their 13th in 14 seasons. They became the third team assured of a playoff spot, following Milwaukee and Tampa Bay. Cincinnati fell to 68-78. The game drew 22,807 fans and lasted 2 hours, 14 minutes.

Skubal delivered the most important performance of the night, overwhelming a Cincinnati lineup that managed only four hits overall. Skubal allowed three hits over seven innings, did not permit an earned run and struck out nine. He did not issue a walk. The left-hander improved to 10-7 and gave the Dodgers the kind of start they needed after dropping two of three at Miami. Skubal had also beaten Cincinnati on Sept. 8, when he worked 7 1/3 innings and allowed two earned runs in a 3-2 Los Angeles win. This time he was sharper, retiring the side in order in the first, third, sixth and seventh innings. He worked around a two-out single in the second, a leadoff single in the fourth and a single and walk in the fifth. The Reds never advanced a runner past second base while Skubal was on the mound.

Nick Lodolo took the loss for Cincinnati, falling to 3-5. Lodolo matched Skubal for much of the evening, but he was hurt by the long ball. He pitched seven innings, allowed three hits, four earned runs and four walks while striking out four. The Dodgers did not collect many hits, but they made them count. Los Angeles finished with three hits, while Cincinnati had four.

The Dodgers opened the scoring in the top of the second. Kyle Tucker homered on a fly ball to right field, his 15th home run of the season, giving Los Angeles a 1-0 lead. It was one of the few mistakes Lodolo made early. Tucker finished the game 1 for 2 with a home run, one RBI and two walks. He also stole a base in the ninth.

Los Angeles added two more runs in the top of the fourth. Tucker walked with one out, and Teoscar Hernández followed with a two-run homer to right-center field. The blast was Hernández’s 14th home run and pushed the Dodgers’ lead to 3-0. Hernández finished 1 for 3 with a home run, two RBIs, a walk and a stolen base. His power gave Skubal a comfortable cushion.

Cincinnati’s best chance against Skubal came in the fifth. Juan Brito singled with one out, and JJ Bleday walked to put two runners on. Skubal responded by striking out Ke’Bryan Hayes and Héctor Rodríguez to end the threat. The Reds also got a leadoff single from Dane Myers in the fourth, but Skubal retired the next three batters. Eugenio Suárez singled in the second, but Juan Brito grounded into a double play to erase the runner.

The Dodgers extended their lead in the top of the seventh. Hernández walked, then stole second base. Max Muncy struck out swinging during the sequence, but Enrique Hernández singled on a line drive to center field to score Teoscar Hernández and make it 4-0. Enrique Hernández finished 1 for 3 with one RBI. The inning gave Los Angeles enough separation to turn the game over to its bullpen.

Alex Vesia pitched a scoreless bottom of the eighth for Los Angeles. He allowed no hits and struck out one. Vesia needed only a few pitches to retire Bleday, Hayes and Rodríguez. The Dodgers then turned to Evan Phillips for the ninth. Phillips struck out Carlos Jorge to begin the inning, but Elly De La Cruz homered on a fly ball to center field for Cincinnati’s only run. It was De La Cruz’s 27th home run of the season, and he finished 1 for 4 with one RBI. Phillips regrouped to get Sal Stewart on a groundout and Tyler Stephenson on a groundout to first baseman Enrique Hernández, ending the game. Phillips allowed one hit and one earned run with one strikeout in his inning.

Cincinnati’s bullpen kept the game within reach. Luis Mey pitched a scoreless eighth inning, allowing no hits and striking out one. Tony Santillan also worked a scoreless inning, giving up no hits and striking out one. Their efforts kept the Reds close enough for De La Cruz’s late homer, but the offense could not solve Skubal or mount a sustained rally.

The Dodgers’ defense supported Skubal with several clean plays. Mookie Betts, playing shortstop, combined with second baseman Miguel Rojas and first baseman Enrique Hernández for a double play in the second. Tommy Edman handled several chances in center field. Kyle Tucker recorded outs in right field. The Reds’ defense also turned a double play in the third when Lodolo fielded Josue De Paula’s comebacker and started a pitcher-to-shortstop-to-first connection. Ke’Bryan Hayes made multiple assists from third base, and Elly De La Cruz was involved in several groundouts from shortstop.

For Los Angeles, the win carried larger meaning than a single September game. The Dodgers have now reached the postseason in 14 straight seasons, matching Atlanta’s mark from 1991 through 2005. They also moved closer to another division crown. With Milwaukee and Tampa Bay already assured of playoff spots, Los Angeles became the third club to join them. The Dodgers have been one of the sport’s most consistent teams, and the victory in Cincinnati added another milestone to their season.

Cincinnati, meanwhile, continued a difficult stretch. The Reds have lost frequently in September and remain well below .500. They entered the game after a 4-3 win at Milwaukee on Sunday, but could not build on that result against one of the league’s best pitchers. De La Cruz provided the loudest moment for the home crowd with his ninth-inning homer, but the Reds managed only four hits and did not draw a walk against Skubal. Lodolo pitched well enough to keep Cincinnati in the game, yet three of the hits he allowed left the yard or drove in a run.

The game moved quickly, finishing in 2 hours, 14 minutes, a crisp pace powered by Skubal and Lodolo. Both starters worked seven innings, and neither bullpen allowed much traffic. Los Angeles made the most of its three hits by pairing them with walks and power. Cincinnati could not bunch its four hits together. The result gave the Dodgers a win in the opener of a four-game series at Great American Ball Park. The teams are scheduled to meet again Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Los Angeles will then return home to face San Francisco, while Cincinnati will host the Chicago Cubs after the series.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Los Angeles Dodgers 7, Cincinnati Reds 4. Interstat’s ELO system gave the Dodgers a 64.4 percent probability to win. Los Angeles had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of -1.5. The total score of 5 went over the over-under line of 8.