The Cincinnati Reds ’ streak of consistency came to a sudden end in Los Angeles. For the first time all season, Cincinnati was swept in a series, falling 5-1 to the Los Angeles Dodgers in Wednesday’s finale at Chavez Ravine. The loss capped a three-game sweep that not only ended an impressive run, but also raised real questions about the Reds playoff chances as August winds down.

Entering the game, the Reds were the only team in Major League Baseball that had not been swept in a series this year. That distinction disappeared when Shohei Ohtani delivered a dominant outing on his bobblehead night, striking out nine over five innings for his first win with the Dodgers. Cincinnati’s bats were largely silenced, managing just one run on a solo homer by Noelvi Marte in the third inning.

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