Steer's 2-run triple in 8th helps Reds beat Dodgers 5-2 after Ohtani's outing cut short

CINCINNATI (AP) — Spencer Steer hit a two-run triple in the eighth inning and the Cincinnati Reds defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-2 on Wednesday night after Shohei Ohtani's pitching outing was cut short.

Ohtani left the mound accompanied by a trainer during the fourth inning with no outs and a 2-0 count against Spencer Steer. The Dodgers' two-way superstar threw six straight balls, including two consecutive wild pitches.

Ohtani was making his seventh mound start in his comeback from Tommy John surgery on his right elbow, which occurred after the 2023 season. The Dodgers’ plan for Wednesday was for Ohtani to throw four innings. He threw 51 pitches, including 32 for strikes.

He remained in the game as the designated hitter and was 0 for 5.

After Austin Hays and Tyler Stephenson walked in the eighth against Emmet Sheehan (0-3), Steer drove a ball to deep center on the 11th pitch of his at-bat. James Outman, who had just entered to play center field, nearly made a leaping catch at the wall, but the ball popped out of his glove, and Hays and Stephenson scored.

Will Benson singled to drive in Steer, his second RBI of the night.

Scott Barlow (4-0) got the final two outs in the eighth and Tony Santillan worked the ninth for his third save.

Freddie Freeman had a two-run homer for Los Angeles in the fourth inning.

Sheehan looked like he was going to get out of the inning earlier in Steer's at-bat, but left fielder Andy Pages dropped a fly ball in foul territory after trying to make a jumping catch.

The Reds have not been swept in any of their 35 series this season. That is the longest run in club history, surpassing the 1970 NL championship team's 32-series streak. Cincinnati is the only team not to have been swept this season.

Dodgers: LHP Clayton Kershaw (4-2, 3.62 ERA) gets the start in Friday's series opener at Tampa Bay.

Reds: LHP Andrew Abbott (8-1, 2.09 ERA) pitches Thursday against visiting Atlanta.

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Cincinnati Reds' Noelvi Marte hits a single during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers Wednesday, July 30, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Alex Freeland reacts after hittting his first major league hit during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds Wednesday, July 30, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Freddie Freeman hits a a two-run home run during the third inning of a baseball game Wednesday, July 30, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani is taken out of the game during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds Wednesday, July 30, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani sits in the dugout during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds Wednesday, July 30, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Cincinnati Reds' Spencer Steer hits a two-run scring triple during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers Wednesday, July 30, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Cincinnati Reds' Noelvi Marte hits a single during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers Wednesday, July 30, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Alex Freeland reacts after hittting his first major league hit during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds Wednesday, July 30, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Freddie Freeman hits a a two-run home run during the third inning of a baseball game Wednesday, July 30, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani is taken out of the game during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds Wednesday, July 30, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani sits in the dugout during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds Wednesday, July 30, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Germany's troubled economy returned to modest growth last year after two years of falling output, official figures showed, as hopes rise that government spending on bridges, rail lines and defense may help end years of stagnation.

The expansion in gross domestic product of 0.2% for 2025 was fueled by stronger consumer and government spending while exports sagged under the weight of more restrictive U.S. trade policy under President Donald Trump, the German Federal Statistical Office said on Thursday.

That follows shrinkage of 0.5% in 2024 and 0.9% in 2023.

“Germany’s export business faced strong headwinds owing to higher U.S. tariffs, the appreciation of the euro and increased competition from China,” statistical office head Ruth Brand said in a statement accompanying the statistical release.

Expectations have risen for Germany to finally see stronger growth this year as the government under Chancellor Friedrich Merz implements plans to increase spending on infrastructure to make up for years of underinvestment. Meanwhile defense spending is rising due to a perceived higher level of threat from Russia after its invasion of Ukraine.

Germany has endured a period of extended stagnation following the COVID-19 pandemic. Higher energy costs following the war in Ukraine and increasing competition from China in key German specialties such as autos and industrial machinery have held back an economy that is heavily focused on exports. Then came Trump's imposition of higher tariffs, or import taxes, on goods from the European Union. The slow growth has also exposed long-term structural issues such as excessive bureaucracy and lack of skilled labor. A stronger euro has also made exports less competitive on price.

A group of leading economists has predicted 0.9% growth for this year but said that forecast could be at risk if the increase in government spending is unleashed more slowly than expected.

The German economy grew 0.2% in the last three months of 2025, according to available preliminary data.

FILE - Containers are piled up in the harbor in Hamburg, Germany, on Oct. 26, 2022. (AP Photo/Michael Probst, file)