LA Dodgers 5, Cincinnati 3

Dodgers 5, Reds 3: Adrian Gonzalez belted two solo homers and Clayton Kershaw tossed five strong innings as visiting Los Angeles kept its wild-card hopes alive.

Los Angeles remained three games behind St. Louis for the second National League wild-card spot with nine games to play, as Cincinnati rested several of its regulars one day after clinching their second NL Central crown in three years.

After hitting one home run in his first 116 plate appearances with the Dodgers, Gonzalez homered twice off Homer Bailey (12-10), who gave up five runs over 6 2/3 frames. Gonzalez has five home runs in 15 career at-bats against Bailey, who lost for the first time in his last five starts against the Dodgers.

Making his first start in 12 days because of a sore right hip, Kershaw gave up one run on five hits and walked a season-high five batters. Shawn Tolleson (3-1) earned the win in relief and Brandon League worked around a two-out walk in the ninth for his fifth save.

The Dodgers broke a 1-all tie in the seventh when they sent nine batters to the plate and scored four runs on five hits and a walk. Gonzalez sparked the rally with his leadoff homer to left-center field.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Reds manager Dusty Baker missed his fifth straight game with an irregular heartbeat, but he visited the clubhouse prior to the game. … Dodgers C A.J. Ellis ended an 0-for-30 slump with a double in the ninth. …Cincinnati rookie Denis Phipps snapped Ronald Belisario’s 20-inning scoreless streak with his first major league home run, a two-run blast in the eighth.

• Cincinnati will play their next game at home against Milwaukee. The Reds have a W/L % of .581 after a win and .633 after a loss.
• LA Dodgers will play their next game on the road against San Diego. The Dodgers have a W/L % of .564 after a win and .467 after a loss.