CINCINNATI, Ohio -- Josh Beckett has pitched his home games in Los Angeles for almost two years now, and hed almost forgotten what it was like to sit through a rain delay. He handled this one with no problem The right-hander waited more than 2 hours to make his start Tuesday night, but once he got on the mound, he was on top of his game. Beckett allowed two hits in six shutout innings, Hanley Ramirez hit a two-run single and the Dodgers defeated the Cincinnati Reds 6-1. "Sitting around today was tough," the 34-year-old Beckett said. "Im not 23 anymore. I was ready to go at 7:10. I spent a lot of time in the weight room trying to stay loose. I felt fine." Beckett (4-3), who had endured two consecutive 2-1 losses since his no-hitter May 25 in Philadelphia, finished with seven strikeouts and one walk. He also hit a batter with a pitch. "Actually, I felt like it was his cleanest game since the no-hitter," Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said. "The ball was coming out better. He had a better changeup, and he kept the ball down." Beckett echoed Mattinglys assessment. "I felt like it was a clean outing," he said. He also enjoyed better support from his offence, which scored more runs in one inning than it had in his previous two starts combined. Yasiel Puig, Adrian Gonzalez, Andre Ethier and Justin Turner led the Los Angeles lineup with two hits apiece. Beckett got into the act with a single of his own for the Dodgers, who have won three straight and four of five. "Joshs performance today is what hes been giving us all year," Ethier said. "We havent been producing many runs for him." Mike Leake, reached for a season-high five runs in his previous start Thursday against San Francisco, allowed five more and a season-high nine hits in 5 1-3 innings. Leake (3-6), who lost seven games last season, had seven strikeouts and one walk. "It was a weird night," said Leake, bothered by a stiff neck in his previous three starts. "I missed some spots. I got some groundballs, but they found holes. I didnt do my job today." Reds first baseman Joey Votto, activated from the 15-day disabled list before the game after missing 23 games with a strained quadriceps in his left knee, went 1 for 3 with a single, two strikeouts and a walk. After the start was delayed by rain for 2 hours, 5 minutes, the Dodgers took a 1-0 lead in the second on Gonzalezs leadoff double and Ethiers one-out double. Beckett helped himself in a three-run fifth after Turner led off with a single. With one out, the pitcher faked a bunt and hit a chopper over charging third baseman Todd Frazier for his third hit in 23 at-bats this season. "I saw him charging," Beckett said. "He was playing so shallow already. I took a shot." Turner scored on Dee Gordons double, and Ramirez drove in both runners with a single to right field. That pretty much gave Los Angeles control. The largest deficit overcome by the Reds to win this season is two runs. Cincinnati manager Bryan Price was impressed with the Dodgers approach. "They did a nice job of putting the ball in play," Price said. "They ran some balls through the infield. They had enough team speed to get some good reads off the bat and score off that line drive to right." Los Angeles added a run in the sixth on Matt Kemps one-out walk and back-to-back singles by Ethier and Turner, who has four consecutive multihit games. Puig singled, stole second and scored on Gonzalezs second double in the seventh. Ethier is hitting .467 (7 for 15) with six RBIs against Leake. The Reds avoided being shut out on Jay Bruces leadoff double, Devin Mesoracos infield single and Zack Cozarts one-out RBI single in the seventh. Mesoraco snapped a career-worst, 0-for-19 slump. NOTES: Cozart stayed in the game after being hit in the batting helmet by Becketts pitch in the fifth. ... Ethiers sixth-inning infield single originally was ruled an out, but Mattinglys challenge led to the call being overturned after a replay review. ... LHP Hyun-Jin Ryu is the Dodgers scheduled starter Wednesday. The last time he faced the Reds, he carried a perfect game through seven innings before settling for a 4-3 win on May 26 in Los Angeles. Gianluigi Buffon Paris Saint-Germain Jersey . Basketball fans around the globe will be watching as Kobe Bryant makes his season debut - 240 days after tearing his left Achilles - against Toronto, a team he has used as his own personal punching bag. Edinson Cavani Paris Saint-Germain Jersey . -- Kevin Harvick pulled away on a restart with 47 laps to go and ended Chase Elliotts two-race winning streak in NASCARs Nationwide Series with a dominating victory early Saturday at Richmond International Raceway. http://www.parissaintgermainfcstore.com/Women-Presnel-Kimpembe-Paris-Saint-Germain-Jersey/ . -- Kevin Harvick pulled away on a restart with 47 laps to go and ended Chase Elliotts two-race winning streak in NASCARs Nationwide Series with a dominating victory early Saturday at Richmond International Raceway. Moussa Diaby Paris Saint-Germain Jersey . New York City FC introduced Frank Lampard in Brooklyn on Thursday after signing the 36-year-old former Chelsea midfielder to a two-year contract. Loic Mbe Soh Paris Saint-Germain Jersey . Mark Van Guilder, Austin Watson and Colton Sissons also scored for the Admirals (22-13-10), who are 2-0-2 in their last four outings, while Roussel tacked on an assist for a two-point night. Greg Pateryn scored once for the Bulldogs (20-22-4), who lost their fifth straight contest, and also assisted on Gabriel Dumonts goal.NEW ORLEANS - The NFL Players Association is asking player agents to warn clients that signing with the New Orleans Saints could subject them to unfavourable workers compensation benefits. In an email Friday, NFLPA chief DeMaurice Smith said union officials believe agents should "consider the Saints efforts" to push for legislation that would substantially reduce benefits to players who are hurt outside the 17-week regular season, when player salaries are paid. Players receive only per diems during off-season workouts and training camp. Under legislation which has passed the Louisiana House of Representatives and awaits consideration in the state Senate, workers compensation benefits could be based on per diems — rather than the full annual value of a contract — if injuries occurred in the off-season. "We are actively involved in the effort to defeat this bill but we feel it is important for you to consider the Saints efforts given your representation of our players and the advice you would have to give to any free agent player considering an opportunity to play for the Saints," Smith wrote. "Please advise your players of the potential consequences of the Saints efforts should they sign with the Saints." Bill supporters say it would place athletes under the same rules as other Louisiana employees. The Saints have not commented on the legislation since its introduction in the House of Representatives, but quarterback Drew Brees has come out publicly against it. In a written statement distributed by the NFLPA, Brees said the legislation "is not good for Saints players, not good for our team or other sports teams in Louisiana and not good for our state." "The job of legislators in Louisiana is to protect injured workers and fight for theiir workers comp benefits, not find ways to support bills like this one which reduce the workers comp benefits we receive when we get hurt.dddddddddddd There is no financial benefit to the state with this bill, only team management," Brees continued. "Whether we get hurt during the season or in the preseason, it is all the same. It is in preparation to help us win a championship for our community." The legislation, called House Bill 1069, aims to calculate workers compensation benefits for pro athletes based only on recent earnings. The NFLs collective bargaining agreement has a formula that also includes future earnings and is aimed at ensuring that benefits are calculated on the full annual value of a players contract. The bill is sponsored by state Reps. Chris Broadwater, R-Hammond, and Cameron Henry, R-Metairie. Broadwater has said the Saints asked for the bill, which aims to clarify in law that pro athletes cannot be exempt from a state formula that applies to every other Louisiana employee seeking workers compensation benefits after a workplace injury. The NFLPA counters that athletes should not be punished with potentially reduced benefits simply because their salaries are not distributed evenly over a 52-week period. In past years, the same matter has spawned several lawsuits between the Saints and former players — with differing outcomes depending on the venue. A state appeals courts in Jefferson Parish, home of Saints headquarters, has sided with the clubs assertion that players must follow precisely the same formula as other Louisiana employees. However, an appeals court in Orleans Parish, where the Superdome is located, has ruled that the annual value of player contracts should serve as the basis for benefits, regardless of when the injury occurs. ' ' '