|
 Alvarez and Martin homered, and the Pirates beat the Los Angeles
Dodgers 6-3 Thursday night.
Right fielder Josh Harrison drove in two runs and sparked a
three-run surge in the seventh inning as the Pirates (24-29) snapped
a two-game skid and dealt the Dodgers (29-26) their second straight
setback. Pittsburgh won on the road against the Dodgers for the
first time since Sept. 15, 2011.
"I thought we played a great game," said Pirates starter Gerrit
Cole, who allowed three runs on six hits with three strikeouts and
two walks in 6 1/3 innings. "I thought we played Pirate baseball to
a 'T.'"
RBI singles by Harrison and second baseman Neil Walker and a
run-scoring double by pinch hitter Gabby Sanchez in the seventh
allowed Pittsburgh to break away from a 3-3 tie. Walker extended his
hitting streak to 10 games.
However, Cole (5-3) played as big a role as any Pirate in the
victory.
"You feel with every starting pitcher you have a chance to win, but
this guy has done some special things," manager Clint Hurdle said.
"The energy that he does bring, the focus and the stuff. When you
can throw that fastball and you can stripe it (at) 96 and 97 ...
everybody feeds off it."
Martin, the Pirates' catcher and a former Dodger, homered in the
sixth to give Pittsburgh a brief 3-2 lead. However, an RBI single by
shortstop Hanley Ramirez in the bottom of the inning tied the score.
Cole settled down after giving up a run in each of the first two
innings. The UCLA product said he began to get in a grove --
retiring nine in a row from the third through the fifth inning -- by
getting ahead of hitters.
"Just made quality pitches early (in the count)," said Cole, who
threw 88 pitches, 57 for strikes. "It was interesting, some at-bats
they were patient and some at-bats they were really aggressive. But
we stuck with our approach and just made quality pitches. That's
Russ calling a great game and letting me know where he wanted the
ball."
Jason Grilli picked up his sixth save with a scoreless ninth.
Dodgers reliever Brandon League (1-2) was tagged with three runs on
three hits in two-thirds of an inning. He replaced starter Dan
Haren, who allowed three runs on eight hits in six innings.
"I couldn't really buy myself a groundout tonight," said League, who
hadn't allowed a run in 22 1/3 innings before Thursday. "They were
lifting everything. I'll have to look at the video tomorrow and see
exactly what the problem was. I don't know if the sinker wasn't
sinking or location or what. Maybe I could have done a better job of
mixing pitches."
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Right fielder Yasiel Puig gave the Dodgers a 1-0 lead with one out
in the first, blooping a double to shallow right between Walker and
Harrison to score center fielder Andre Ethier, who tripled. Puig,
who went 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles, reached base for the 30th
consecutive game, the longest active streak in the majors.
Alvarez, the Pittsburgh third baseman, drove a Haren pitch deep into
the Pirates' bullpen in right for a solo home run to tie the score
at 1 with two outs in the second.
In the bottom of the inning, second baseman Dee Gordon's RBI single
brought home third baseman Justin Turner for a 2-1 Los Angeles lead.
Pittsburgh tied the score again in the fifth, when Harrison ripped a
single to right, scoring shortstop Clint Barmes.
"We'll have to put this behind us," Dodgers manager Don Mattingly
said.
NOTES: Dodgers RHP Chris Withrow, optioned to the minors last
weekend, was diagnosed with a torn right ulnar collateral ligament.
Tommy John surgery was recommended. Withrow, though, will seek a
second opinion before deciding his next course. The Dodgers placed
him on the major league disabled list. ... Los Angeles RHP Chad
Billingsley, out since April 2013 when he underwent Tommy John
surgery on his right elbow, pitched a simulated game Thursday. He
threw 30 pitches. There is no timetable for his return. ... Pirates
2B Neil Walker has started all 53 games this season. That is the
most by a Pittsburgh player since Jason Bay started 79 in a row to
open the 2007 season. ... The game drew a crowd of 39,643.
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