Stults pitched into the seventh inning in his season debut Thursday, and Matt Kemp emerged from his slump by hitting a two-run double, setting up a 7-4 victory and a three-game sweep of the rock-bottom Reds.

"That was fun," said Stults, who took a shutout into the seventh. "Your first time out, you still have some of the jitters, being in front of a bigger crowd and facing the best hitters in baseball."

The Dodgers picked the right time and place for a turnaround.

They arrived in town with a five-game losing streak and an offense that could barely score. They broke out against a team they've dominated no matter where they play. The Dodgers hadn't won three in a row since their three-game sweep of the Reds in Los Angeles from May 19-21.