Greinke, Seager lead Dodgers over Pirates 6-2

Pirates manager Clint Hurdle seemed more taken with the catch. “Frankie gave us just what we needed”.

After a top of the first in which the Pirates worked Kershaw for 20 pitches, Liriano and the Pirates gave up their obligatory first-inning run, a courtesy they have now extended to the opposition for eight of the past 10 games. The magic number for the Dodgers to win the division is down to seven, as the Giants lost Saturday for the third time in four games. “Having a good fastball today helped me with the breaking stuff”. Francisco Liriano was the right guy at the right time for the Pittsburgh Pirates. “You can kind of feel it in the air”, Seager said.

Cameron Maybin drove in the go-ahead run in the fourth inning and the Atlanta Braves beat the Philadelphia Phillies 2-1 on Friday night in a matchup of the two worst teams in the majors. “He’s really hard to keep in the strike zone. He was great”.

“He was really good”, Seager said of Greinke.

“It’s been tough the last four days, but we’re back on track”, Cervelli said. “We want to win the division”.

Los Angeles Dodgers center fielder Joc Pederson can’t get a glove…

Kershaw (14-7) lost for the first time in 14 outings. For Sunday’s game the Dodgers start Mike Bolsinger who has allowed 88 hits and 34 earned runs while striking out 85 over 97.2 innings for a 6-3 record and a 3.13 ERA. The figure is fourth best in Dodgers history, topped only by three 300-plus strikeout seasons by Sandy Koufax. On Liriano’s 103rd pitch of the game, Barnes rolled over a changeup and grounded into an inning-ending double play.

Mark Melancon pumped his fist and roared as a Dodger Stadium crowd of 49,441 went silent late Saturday night.

Dodgers 3B Justin Turner exited after six innings because of left knee soreness.

The Dodgers jumped out to an early lead thanks to second baseman Howie Kendrick, who bookmarked his six-week long journey on the disabled list when he returned to the lineup against the team he injured his hamstring against on August . 9 in Pittsburgh.

After doubling and eventually scoring in that two-run seventh, Greinke started the eighth by giving up a single to Chris Stewart and then walking pinch-hitter Michael Morse.

The defeat to the Pittsburgh Pirates was no reason for the Dodgers to be alarmed.

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“(Against the Padres) I gave up two home runs with offspeed pitches”, Bolsinger told MLB’s official website, “…This game five or six straight hits on offspeed pitches, and that’s my bread and butter, the curve and slider, it’s what I need to work on”. “Obviously, the record shows it. They’re a handful”. “The first you’re in such awe but the first one at home was a lot of fun, too”. Sean Rodriguez hit a ground ball which just crossed home plate. The Pirates were 74-1 when leading after eight innings heading into Saturday’s game…. Chase Utley started at second base Friday.

Turner said he expected to be sidelined the next day for the finale of the three-game series at Dodger Stadium and sounded uncertain what this could mean for the remainder of his season.

Liriano had a 2.98 ERA in the first half when he walked 3.06 batters per nine innings.