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 Pedro Alvarez lined a pinch-hit bases-loaded single over a five-man
infield in the bottom of the 10th inning to give the Pittsburgh
Pirates a 5-4 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday night.
This marked the first time the major-league win leader (Pittsburgh
right-hander Gerrit Cole) faced the major-league strikeout leader
(Los Angeles left-hander Clayton Kershaw) this late in a season
since the Chicago White Sox's Wilbur Wood squared off against the
California Angels' Nolan Ryan on Aug. 11, 1973, according to the
Elias Sports Bureau.
Yet neither pitcher had a particularly good outing or factored in
the decision.
In the bottom of the 10th, the Pirates loaded the bases with none
out against right-handed reliever Jim Johnson (2-4) as shortstop
Jung Ho Kang walked, catcher Francisco Cervelli singled and first
baseman Sean Rodriguez had a bunt single.
Left-hander J.P. Howell relieved and Dodgers manager Don Mattingly
moved an outfielder into the infield, but Alvarez singled into right
field for the game-winning hit.
"You don't care where the defense is," Alvarez said. "My entire
focus of the at-bat is on the pitcher and what he's trying to do.
That's all you can control."
The Pirates won for the 13th time in their last 16 home games and
improved to 37-18 at PNC Park this season. They are 12-2 against
National League West teams.
Pittsburgh (63-44) remained three games ahead of the Chicago Cubs in
the NL wild-card standings. Los Angeles (62-47) stayed three games
in front of the San Francisco Giants in the NL West.
Left-handed reliever Antonio Bastardo (4-1) pitched a scoreless 10th
for his second win in as many games.
Kershaw had his streak of 37 consecutive scoreless innings end when
Pirates right fielder Gregory Polanco hit his first pitch of the
game for a home run. Kershaw, who had won his previous four starts,
gave up four runs and nine hits in six innings with two walks and
five strikeouts.
"It was a tough one," Kershaw said. "I struggled all the way through
pretty much and give the Pirates credit. They did a good job
battling me the whole night and I just didn't really have good
stuff.
"I was getting two strikes a few times and couldn't really put
anybody away. Both breaking balls weren't really working the way I
wanted to, so it was just a battle."
Kershaw raised his season strikeout total to 197, leaving him three
shy of a sixth straight season with at least 200.
Cole allowed three runs and four hits in six innings while striking
out five and walking three. His record remained 14-5, though, and he
has only one win in four starts since the All-Star break.
"I was really sporadic at times," Cole said. "Fortunately, we caught
(Kershaw) on a kind of an off night, too. It was just kind of weird
game, not what everyone expected."
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Cole pitched at least six innings for the 18th time in 22 starts
this season -- the other four have been against Cincinnati. He has
allowed three runs or fewer in all but one start.
Polanco, Kang, Cervelli, center fielder Andrew McCutchen and third
baseman Aramis Ramirez each had two of the Pirates' 14 hits.
Shortstop Jimmy Rollins had three of the Dodgers' six hits and drove
in two runs. Second baseman Howie Kendrick had two hits, including a
two-run infield single on which Rollins sprinted home from second
base.
The Dodgers tied it 4-4 in the seventh inning when Rollins hit a
two-out RBI double.
The Pirates pulled ahead 4-3 in the fifth when McCutchen hit an RBI
double and scored on Ramirez's single.
Rollins had put the Dodgers ahead 3-2 in the top of the fifth with a
one-out RBI single.
The Pirates pulled into a 2-2 tie in the fourth when catcher Chris
Stewart drew a bases-loaded walk from Kershaw with two outs after
the Dodgers had gone ahead on Kendrick's two-run infield single with
two outs in the third.
NOTES: The Dodgers released OF Chris Heisey. He had been designated
for assignment July 30. ... Pirates LHP J.A. Happ will have his turn
in the rotation skipped and not start in the three-game series
against the National League Central-leading Cardinals that begins
next Tuesday at St. Louis. Happ lost his Pirates' debut Tuesday
night, giving up four runs in 4 2/3 innings to the Chicago Cubs
after being acquired from Seattle in a trade July 31. ... RHP Deolis
Guerra was returned to the Pirates as a waiver claim by Cleveland
was voided by Major League Baseball because he was found to have
left knee inflammation. Guerra was placed on the 15-day disabled
list, and Triple-A Indianapolis RHP Wilfredo Boscan was designated
for assignment to clear a spot on the 40-man roster. ... Los Angeles
RHP Mat Latos (4-7, 4.29 ERA) faces Pittsburgh LHP Francisco Liriano
(7-6, 2.92 ERA) on Saturday afternoon in the middle game of the
three-game series.
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