Pirates 5, Dodgers 3
PITTSBURGH, Pa., (Sept. 4) —The Los Angeles Dodgers fail to avoid the sweep in their series against the Pittsburgh Pirates. They were unable to string together any offense until the late stages of the game. Paul Skenes dominated on the bump, pitching six scoreless innings. He finished with 8 SO, 1 BB, 2 H, and 0 ER. The Dodgers will now take a three-game losing streak into Camden Yards, facing off against the Baltimore Orioles (64-76).
Dodgers-Pirates Game Summary
Skenes started the game off red hot, retiring the first six Dodgers he faced. Dalton Rushing doubled in the third, but was left stranded as Mookie Betts hit into a Fielder’s choice.
The Pirates struck first in the bottom of the third with a single by Tommy Pham, who drove in Bryan Reynolds from third. Reynolds started the inning on a single, but quickly found himself 90 feet from home due to two wild pitches from Blake Snell.
The Pirates added to their lead in the fifth inning, driving in four more runs. They started off the inning with back-to-back singles from Jared Triolo and Nick Gonzales. A Bryan Reynolds double drove in Triolo and advanced Gonzales to third.
Nick Yorke followed with a double, scoring both Reynolds and Gonzales and moving Andrew McCutchen to third. McCutchen scored on an Alexander Canario single.
The Dodgers attempted a rally in the ninth, started by a Mookie Betts leadoff solo-homer. After bringing two runs across, Colin Holderman was brought in for the save situation, and after allowing one more run, he struck out Ben Rortvedt to end the game.
What Went Right for the Dodgers
Dodgers Don’t Go Quietly
While the Dodgers fail to avoid the series sweep, they did show some fight in the final inning. Mookie started the rally, reminding fans how much of a power threat he is at the top of the lineup. They plated two more runs, forcing the Pirates to put in their closer to secure the win.
Bullpen Showed Life
The bullpen also managed to keep the game within reach after Snell struggled in his start. The bullpen will need to replicate that same level of productivity for the Dodgers to succeed in October.
What Went Wrong for the Dodgers
Snell’s Control Issues
Two wild pitches by Snell cost the Dodgers early. Things unraveled further in the fifth, where he struggled to get ahead in the count. He left pitches over the plate, and the Pirates broke open the game.
“I really liked what I was throwing… mixing it with what I had… just frustrating,” Snell told SportsNet LA when asked about his performance.
Dominated by Skenes
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While Snell’s pitching performance didn’t help, the Dodgers couldn’t provide any runs for the majority of the game. Skenes stifled them all game long, shutting down any chances of the Dodgers putting any offense together. They could only get two hits against Skenes in a lineup that boasts heavy hitters such as Freddie Freeman and Shohei Ohtani.
Padres Closing the Gap
With this three-game skid against the Pirates, the San Diego Padres are now two games back in the NL West race. The Dodgers fail to take care of business on the road, giving them a better chance at taking back the division. However, the Dodgers hold the tiebreaker thanks to a (9-4) record against the Padres this season. Their performance in this series is still cause for concern, as every game down the stretch matters given how tight the division race is.
Looking Ahead
The upcoming three-game series against the Orioles will be important for the Dodgers to shift momentum and establish a lead in the NL West pennant race.
Tyler Glasnow (1-3, 3.41 ERA) will face off against Dean Kremer (9-10, 4.52 ERA) in a battle of right-handers to start the series. First pitch will be at 4:05 pm PDT.
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