The Los Angeles Dodgers entered a four-game series with the Pittsburgh Pirates having lost 10 of their last 13 games at PNC Park. With consecutive back-to-back victories, the Dodgers ensured themselves of at least a series split.
That further extended their streak of not losing a series since dropping two of three to the Washington Nationals from June 5-7. What’s more, Los Angeles is now 54-10 in their last 64 games and a season-best 54 games over .500.
Tuesday’s win was sparked by Chris Taylor early, Corey Seager in the middle, and Yasmani Grandal late. Taylor opened the game with a double and scored the first run two batters later.
He finished the night with a game-high three hits and three RBI. After the Dodgers squandered a 4-0 lead and fought back to tie the game, Seager’s two-out RBI single in the sixth pushed them ahead.
Adrian Gonzalez, whose double led off the inning and was his 2,000th career hit, scored the go-ahead run. Gonzalez is the seventh player to reach the milestone while wearing a Dodgers uniform. He’s the first since Jeff Kent in 2005.
Then in the seventh, Grandal followed Curtis Granderson’s leadoff walk with a two-run homer into the bullpen. He became the sixth Dodger this season with at least 17 home runs.
With the bullpen already having picked up Brock Stewart in his short outing, Kenley Jansen struck out the side to earn his 34th save and complete a seventh inning by the group.
Jansen used a multitude of delivers in his outing, including a Clayton Kershaw-esque leg kick with the addition of an exaggerated pause to flummox Sean Rodriguez. Jansen ran his season totals to 89 strikeouts against five walks.
