Despite the best efforts of Matt Kemp, the Los Angeles Dodgers had their four-game winning streak snapped in a 11-9 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates. It also ended their string of consecutive road victories at eight.
Caleb Ferguson made his MLB debut but had a night he may want to forget. He labored through the first inning but managed to strand a pair of runners to keep the game scoreless. However, Ferguson’s second hit batter to start an inning opened an avalanche.
After back-to-back walks loaded the bases with one out, Josh Harrison’s two-out double cleared them. Ferguson gave way to Daniel Hudson after walking Austin Meadows. Starling Marte’s infield single extended the Pirates lead to 4-0 before Hudson could get through inning.
The book closed on Ferguson at four runs allowed, three strikeouts and three walks in just 1.2 innings pitched.
The Dodgers quickly erased their deficit, with two outs nonetheless. Walks by Max Muncy and Justin Turner were followed by a two-run double from Kemp. Cody Bellinger then tied it with his second home run in as many games and at the time was a team-leading 10th on the season.
Pittsburgh reclaimed the lead behind a leadoff single, walk and throwing error to start the bottom of the third. Josh Bell later extended the lead by beating out a would-be double play, resulting in a force out that scored a run. David Freese’s two-run double off Brock Stewart in the fourth put the Pirates ahead 8-4.
Kemp added to his big night and season with a booming three-run homer, giving him 10 on the season to tie Bellinger, and pull the Dodgers within a run. Kemp finished 3-for-4 with three runs scored, five RBI and one walk.
But the Pirates had yet another answer, scoring three runs in the sixth. Kyle Crick allowed the Dodgers to cut into their deficit in the eighth as he walked Kemp and Bellinger, then saw both move into scoring position on a wild pitch.
He nearly got out of the jam by retiring Yasiel Puig and Logan Forsythe, but a balk scored Kemp and Yasmani Grandal’s pinch-hit RBI single drove in Bellinger. Felipe Vazquez ended the eighth inning and worked around a leadoff walk in the ninth to earn the save in the Pirates’ win.
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