Dodgers 2, Reds 0

LOS ANGELES - Starting pitcher Randy Wolf struck out a season-high 11 batters without a walk over seven shutout innings and the Dodgers beat the Reds, 2-0, before 49,588 fans tonight at Dodger Stadium.

The Reds had hoped the shred of momentum generated by a winning end to their last homestand would carry into the start of a nine-game road trip. Instead, they managed just five hits and lost for the eighth time in 10 games.

Reds starting pitcher Bronson Arroyo labored during the first two innings – he needed 42 pitches in the first inning alone – but salvaged a quality start.

The right-hander allowed two runs on six hits, struck out two and walked a season-high four over six innings.

Wolf entered with a 5-2 record and 3.58 ERA in 11 career starts against the Reds, but none of those came close to rivaling his performance Friday.

The Reds got four hits – three singles and a double – when Wolf was pitching.

Right fielder Ken Griffey Jr. singled in the first. Left fielder Adam Dunn singled with one out in the second. Second baseman Brandon Phillips extended his career-best hitting streak to 14 games with a single in the third.

Third baseman Juan Castro, a late addition to the Reds’ lineup after Ryan Freel was scratched with the flu, led off the fifth with a double down the left field line.

Jonathan Broxton and Takashi Saito each contributed a scoreless inning in relief of Wolf. The Reds had runners at first and third in the ninth when Saito struck out Castro to end the game.

Both of the Dodgers’ runs came in the first inning against Arroyo.

A single and two walks loaded the bases for Dodgers catcher Russell Martin with two outs in the first inning. Martin lined a single to center field that scored two.

Arroyo walked the next batter, right fielder Andre Ethier, to reload the bases before striking out third baseman Andy LaRoche to end the inning. He stranded runners at second and third in the second inning.