Dodgers Team News

Dodgers Vs. Pirates Recap: Bullpen Struggles And Stifles Comeback Bid

[new_royalslider id=”235″] After winning the series opener, the Los Angeles Dodgers came in on Tuesday looking to take the series from the Pittsburg Pirates.

Josh Beckett was on the mound for his first start since being placed on the disabled list July 8 and ran into trouble early. In the bottom of the second, Neil Walker and Ike Davis both hit solo home runs and the Pirates led 2-0 headed to the third inning.



Beckett led off the third with a routine ground ball to Pedro Alvarez who threw the ball into the stands, which allowed Beckett to advance to second base. Adrian Gonzalez later hit a sacrifice fly to score Beckett.

Andre Ethier stepped in and collected his 37th RBI of the year on a bloop single to left field to score Justin Turner and tie the game, 2-2.

Beckett’s troubles continued in the bottom of the third as Gregory Polanco hit a solo home run to right field. Up to that point, Beckett’s three hits allowed were all solo home runs. After Walker singled, Travis Snider pushed the Pirates ahead with an RBI double down the left field line.

Beckett didn’t make it out of the fourth inning after allowing a leadoff double to Alvarez. Paul Maholm took over and retired the first batter he faced to end the inning.

The Dodgers offense went hitless in the fourth and fifth innings and through one out in the sixth until Carl Crawford singled. Juan Uribe followed with an infield single and both runners took an extra base on Josh Harrison’s throwing error.

With both runners in scoring position, A.J. Ellis got his first base hit of the night on a sharp single to center field that scored Crawford and Uribe to tie the game at four.

Maholm allowed consecutive singles in the sixth and was lifted in favor of Jamey Wright. The veteran right-hander issued a two-out walk that loaded the bases.

Polanco broke the tie with an RBI single to that scored two runs and Snider’s RBI single gave the Pirates a 7-4 lead. Wright then hit Andrew McCutchen to load the bases once again and followed with a wild pitch that allowed the Pirates’ fourth run of the inning to score.

Justin Wilson relieved Pirates starter Vance Worley in the sixth used two pitches to intentionally hit Justin Turner. Wilson was immediately ejected and Pirates manager Clint Hurdle was right behind him.

Jared Hughes replaced Wilson and gave up a two-run home run to Gonzalez that got the Dodgers within two runs. Wright hit Russell Martin with a breaking ball, but it was not deemed intentional and he remained in the game. The right-hander then retired the next three batters he faced to keep the score at 8-6 in the Pirates favor.

Scott Van Slyke cut into the Dodgers’ deficit with a pinch-hit solo home run in the eighth. Dee Gordon followed with a walk but nothing would come of it. Chris Perez walked the bases loaded with one out in the bottom of the inning.

Perez walked a run in and his rough night of work came to an end. Brandon League inherited the bases-loaded jam and immediately gave up a two-RBI single to Martin that extended the Pirates’ lead to 11-7.

The bleeding continued as Davis hit an RBI single to right. League then retired the next two hitters to end the long inning. Ernesto Frieri took the mound in the ninth with a five-run lead and walked a batter but nothing else.
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4 Comments

  1. Worst managed late inning game I have seen in a very long time. No one up in the bullpen until there were two balls on the third batter of the inning and then League was not throwing seriously. Then we have a run walked in for FOUR walks in the inning that ends up with Pittsburgh scoring five and putting the game away. The inning with Wright on the mound was not much better. I just don’t get this team and the overall lack of cohesiveness. At this rate the post season is only a pipe dream and not a reality. How sad that I need to root for the teams playing against the Giants because the Dodgers cannot put a decent winning streak together.

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