Monday, June 02, 2014
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Pirates Win Series In LA. For First Time Since 2006

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[June 02, 2014]  LOS ANGELES -- Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle can cross off his bucket list leading the Pirates to a series win at Dodger Stadium.

Andrew McCutchen and Josh Harrison homered, and Pedro Alvarez drove in three runs, sparking the Pirates to a 5-3 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday.

The Pirates (26-30) took three of four from the Dodgers (30-28), capturing a series in Los Angeles for the first time since Sept. 19-21, 2006.

"We've been out here a lot and not done a whole lot," Hurdle said of his club, which snapped a nine-game losing streak at Chavez Ravine on Thursday in the series opener. "This is one of those things (we) can knock off our to-do list."

Pittsburgh also beat Dodgers starter Zack Greinke again. Greinke (8-2) gave up four runs on five hits with seven strikeouts and two walks in six innings. He threw 102 pitches (61 strikes). It was the first time the right-hander allowed more than three runs since July 25, 2013, when he was charged with four in a loss to the Cincinnati Reds.
 


The Pirates laid five runs on Greinke in five innings in a 6-3 Pittsburgh win on June 16, 2013, when the two clubs met at PNC Park. On Sunday, the Pirates used a determined and successful approach against the former Cy Young Award winner.

"We were looking for fastballs early," Hurdle said. "His location played into it, but to beat him, he's an ultra-competitor. You've got to outcompete him. We laid off some tight pitches, we worked some counts, we got the pitch count up, we hit the balls we were able to handle, we put the barrel on them and we did something with them. That was the game plan going in. We just tried to be as aggressive as he was."

Pittsburgh starter Edinson Volquez (3-4) allowed two runs on five hits with six strikeouts and a walk in five innings. He pitched for the Dodgers briefly late last season.

"(Volquez) did what he had to do," Hurdle said. "Used the fastball, he got it inside, the curveball played big for him tonight. The changeup. He pitched very well."

Pirates relievers Justin Wilson, Tony Watson and Mark Melancon each pitched a scoreless inning. Closer Jason Grilli gave up a run in the ninth before earning his eighth save.

Dodgers right fielder Yasiel Puig's first-inning double extended his streak of consecutive games reaching base to 33.

Pittsburgh grabbed a 2-0 lead in the first when third baseman Alvarez lined a two-run single to left, scoring McCutchen and first baseman Ike Davis with two outs.

Dodgers center fielder Matt Kemp doubled to right with one out in the second and scored on third baseman Justin Turner's base hit to center to cut the Pirates' lead to 2-1.

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McCutchen, who went 3-for-4 and also had two doubles, drove the first pitch he saw from Greinke in the third into the seats in center to push the lead back to two runs. It was the center fielder's fifth homer of the season, his first ever off Greinke.

"I think the key was McCutchen pretty much got three runs on his own," Greinke said. "A couple of good at-bats mixed in there, but it was mainly him putting them in a position where it was tough to stop.

"The first pitch I threw to him, the double off the wall, that was a really bad pitch, but besides that, I know he's dangerous, but I made pretty quality pitches. He was tough today."

Turner took Volquez deep in the fourth, hitting a solo home run to left to pull the Dodgers within 3-2.

Harrison homered off reliever Chris Perez in the seventh inning.

"When I hit it, I knew I got it," said Pittsburgh's right fielder, who hit safely in a fifth consecutive game. "I was feeling good. I had some good swings today. I was just trying to put a good swing around anything in the zone."

NOTES: Pittsburgh traded RHP Bryan Morris to the Miami Marlins on Sunday in exchange for the 39th overall selection in this week's amateur draft. Pirates RHP Casey Sadler was recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis to fill Morris' roster spot. ... Los Angeles starters allowed three or fewer runs in their previous 11 starts, compiling a 6-3 mark with a 2.66 ERA in that span. ... The Pirates visit the San Diego Padres for a three-game set beginning Monday. ... Los Angeles hosts the Chicago White Sox for a three-game series beginning Monday. ... The game drew a crowd of 51,020.

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