The Los Angeles Dodgers remained unable to solve the Pittsburgh Pirates, and it amounted to an 8-4 loss and series sweep. It’s the first time the Pirates swept the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium since Sept. 4-6, 2000. Pittsburgh previously swept L.A. at PNC Park from Aug. 7-9, 2015.
The loss was the Dodgers’ most lopsided this season. Like in the first two games of the series this week, they fell into an early deficit.
But Mitch White initially kept the game at 1-0 as he settled in after a shaky first inning. White went on to retire 13 of 14 batters before walking Ke’Bryan Hayes with two outs in the fifth. That proved costly as a hanging curveball to Bryan Reynolds was deposited into the right field pavilion for a two-run home run that gave the Pirates a 3-1 lead.
It was a disappointing finish to what otherwise had shaped up to be an encouraging start by White and his longest outing of the season.
Trea Turner started the Dodgers’ comeback effort with a leadoff double in the bottom of the fourth inning that also extended his hitting streak to an MLB-best 24 games.
Justin Turner followed with his second single of the game, and Chris Taylor made it three consecutive hits to get L.A. on the board. However, their rally was cut short when Hanser Alberto grounded into a double play.
The Dodgers proceeded to load the bases with nobody out in the fifth inning but only scored one run on a failed double play attempt by the Pirates.
In the sixth, Chris Taylor ran into a double play when he attempted to go first to third on Alberto’s grounder. Rather than having the tying run in scoring position with one out, the bases were wiped clean.
The baserunning mistake appeared even more costly when Austin Barnes lined a single into center field.
The Dodgers squandered yet another opportunity in the seventh inning despite having runners on second and third with nobody out. Freddie Freeman grounded out and Trea Turner’s fly ball resulted in a double play when Gavin Lux was thrown out at the plate.
Rodolfo Castro provided the Pirates with some breathing room in the eighth inning by launching a two-run home run to the loge level down the left field line. Pittsburgh then broke it open in the ninth with three more runs.
That effectively negated Mookie Betts’ two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth inning.
Dodgers injuries
Cody Bellinger again was out of the lineup due to still recovering from a left adductor strain, but manager Dave Roberts said he was available off the bench. Bellinger wound up being pressed into duty in the sixth inning because Kevin Pillar was removed due to an apparent injury.
Roberts announced after the game that Pillar’s left shoulder twice dislocated and popped back in.
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