Pirates tie team reord, strand 18 runners in loss to Dodgers

Ross Stripling went seven innings in a spot start as the Dodgers still lost 5-1 to the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Pirates left 18 men on base and went 1 for 14 with runners in scoring position.

“They were out there”.

“A ball in the gap would have been nice”, Hurdle said. One thing is for sure, if the starters can keep the Dodgers in the game, the bullpen can stay dominant and the offense can continue to shine, this team could be a serious contender. “We just weren’t able to score”.

Andrew McCutchen and Jordy Mercer homered to lead Nova and the Pirates past the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-1 on Friday night.

“Yeah, it has, but I think that each guy who has been given a chance has competed well and has given us a chance”, Roberts said.

Ivan Nova felt fortunate to be pitching in a big ballpark with Pittsburgh’s fielders behind him.

McCarthy (hip) said after Saturday’s game that he expects to go on the 15-day DL, Ken Gurnick of MLB.com reports.

“Obviously this has meant a lot”, Stripling said.

Gerrit Cole (7-8) gave up 12 hits and six runs in 4 1/3 innings.

“It’s a huge win for us”, Pederson said. “I thought we did that”. “With where we’re at, we need him to pitch for us, but we also need him to be good”.

“Pitching in National League ballparks are bigger than the American League, especially in the east, and the defense behind me has allowed me to be more aggressive in the strike zone”, said Nova, who has won both of his starts since the Pirates acquired him from the New York Yankees on August 1.

Pittsburgh jumped on Stripling for four hits and three runs in the first.

LOS ANGELES-And, in the seventh inning, they did not score. Antonio Bastardo got the final two outs of the sixth to close Nova’s book, and while one run in 5.1 innings looks very solid, the Dodgers offense had plenty of well-hit balls turn into outs at the warning track. Adrian Gonzalez scored on the next play when Pirates third baseman Jung Ho Kang made two errors on the same ground ball.

After the Pirates successfully challenged a Josh Harrison lead-off single, Starling Marte’s single set up the rest of the inning. “Long story short, I came into spring just hoping to prove to the front office that I’m still alive and can pitch”. “Some of my trainers were able to see it, noticed it as well”.

Watson needed four pitches to get Corey Seagar to fly out and end the game.

NOTES: Pirates C Francisco Cervelli (left wrist discomfort) did not play for the second game in a row. He walked five batters in each of his starts against the Colorado Rockies (Aug. 2), the Boston Red Sox (Sunday) and the Pirates. The last time they walked 11 batters in a game was in 2009 at Colorado; they won that game too. The right-hander has allowed two runs over his last two starts. The Dodgers plan to activate LHP Brett Anderson (herniated disk surgery) off the DL in time to start Sunday’s series finale. Brandon McCarthy takes the hill, and he’s 2-2 with a 3.00 ERA and 35 strikeouts this season.