Ellis caps rally as Dodgers top Pirates 5-4, avoid sweep

He left the game with a one-run lead that the Pirates bullpen of Juan Nicasio, A.J. Schugel, and Mark Melancon preserved with 12 consecutive outs in the final four innings.

ANGELS 7, A’s 6 (at Anaheim, Calif.) – Jefry Marte drove in Mike Trout with a game-ending sacrifice fly, and Los Angeles stopped a six-game losing streak.

In his two losses, Kershaw has had two big innings – a five-run sixth inning on April 26 against the Miami Marlins and Sunday’s four-run second.

It is also worth mentioning that the nine hits and four earned runs are each the second most allowed by the three-time National League Cy Young Award victor this year.

Kuhl, not one of the Pirates’ top prospects, yet 6-2 with a 2.38 ERA at Triple-A Indianapolis before being called up, lasted five innings for his first career win.

Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Scott Kazmir walks to the dugout after giving up four runs in the first inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Pittsburgh, Monday, June 27, 2016. He’ll take on the Rockies his next time out at home on Friday.

Seager doubled in the third inning and scored when Turner followed with a two-run home run off Kuhl.

Mercer led off the Pirates’ second with a single to right off Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw, then was injured after David Freese hit a hot shot to third baseman Justin Turner, who threw to second trying for a 5-4-3 double play. However, the ball caromed back to catcher Chris Stewart and he threw to Kuhl, who tagged out Turner at home plate to end the inning.

“That’s Stewart’s play”, Kuhl said. The theme of the inning was the count, as six men reached base for the Pirates, five of which had two strikes.

Right fielder Sean Rodriguez moved to shortstop to take Mercer’s place. RHP Gerrit Cole (strained triceps) threw off a mound for the first time since leaving his June 10 start against St. Louis, but there is no timetable for his return….RF Gregory Polanco (left leg discomfort) did not start for a third straight game. Or at least so it seemed to Clint Hurdle, whose barking kept his face red all evening, and to McCutchen, who spiked his bat in frustration in the bottom of the seventh and got himself ejected from the game. Gonzalez will be out of the lineup again Monday as he is being given a “mental break” by Roberts.

Meantime, Utley relentlessly has been booed by Mets fans during his visits to Citi Field since the Tejada incident… two playoff games last fall and three games last month.

Pirates LHP Kyle Lobstein was optioned to Indianapolis to open a roster spot for Kuhl. Although his 2016 ERA has ballooned to a whopping 1.79, by his standards, he now sits at 11-2 on the year accompanied by 145 strikeouts against nine walks over the course of 121 innings of work.