PITTSBURGH (AP) — Andy Pages hit a two-run homer and added a sacrifice fly during a seventh-inning outburst against Pittsburgh's bullpen as the Dodgers quickly pulled away once Pirates ace Paul Skenes exited in a 12-3 win on Tuesday night.
Skenes, the reigning NL Cy Young winner, allowed two runs and struck out seven in six innings. He retired Los Angeles star Shohei Ohtani all three times he faced the four-time MVP, getting Ohtani to ground out twice
and fanning him once in his best start in nearly a month.
When Skenes left, the Dodgers pounced.
Dalton Rushing led off the seventh with a single off Wilber Dotel (1-0), advanced to third on a single through the hole by Alan Freeland and scored the go-ahead run when Pirates catcher Henry Davis’ attempt to pick Rushing off third hit the Dodger catcher instead and rolled away.
Things only got better for Los Angeles. Ohtani followed with an RBI-double and Pages hit his fourth home run in 12 career games against the Pirates to make it 6-2. A throwing error by Pirates second baseman Brandon Lowe, a couple of bases-loaded walks, and Freddie Freeman's 2,500th career hit — a sharp RBI-single to center — highlighted the rest of Los Angeles' biggest inning since an 11-run outburst against St. Louis on June 2, 2021.
Will Klein (2-2) picked up the win in relief of starter Eric Laurer, who allowed two runs in 5 2/3 innings.
Bryan Reynolds and Ryan O'Hearn hit back-to-back homers in the first to give Pittsburgh some early momentum. Pittsburgh managed just three hits the rest of the way to drop its fourth straight game and fall back to just one game over .500 at 34-33.
Skenes is now 0-3 with a 4.50 ERA over his last five starts.
The series continues Wednesday, when Ohtani (6-2, 0.74 ERA) goes for his fifth straight victory on the mound. The two-way superstar has allowed just one run over his last four starts. Jared Jones (1-0, 4.82) starts for Pittsburgh.
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