The Los Angeles Dodgers had an uptick in offensive production and timely hitting to snap their three-game losing streak with an 8-4 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates. The victory was the Dodgers’ MLB-leading 10th comeback win of the year.
Saturday was the first time the Dodgers City Connect uniform was worn this season.
The night began in ominous fashion when Roki Sasaki’s first pitch of the game was driven out by Oneil Cruz for a leadoff home run. Cruz’s blast wasn’t necessarily an indictment on Sasaki, given it’s location out of the zone, but it served as a sign of things to come.
Teoscar Hernández’s two-out RBI double tied the game in the bottom of the first inning, and he then scored when Tommy Edman reached on a fielder’s choice and throwing error by Adam Frazier.
Sasaki maintained the Dodgers’ slim lead until Cruz’s two-run base hit in the fifth inning. The back-and-forth nature of the game continued in the bottom half of the fifth, which saw Freddie Freeman tie the game on his two-out RBI single.
Sasaki was on the verge of completing six innings for a second consecutive start but hit Ke’Bryan Hayes with a pitch and was removed from the game at that point.
Pittsburgh broke the tie in the seventh inning by capitalizing on loading the bases with nobody out. Jack Dreyer induced Bryan Reynolds into a force out, and Evan Phillips kept the damage to just one run by retiring both batters he faced. Phillips and the Dodgers were aided by Freeman making a diving stop to his right.
That proved as Ohtani’s resurgence continued into the bottom of the seventh with an RBI double that tied the game. It also marked Ohtani’s third extra-base hit of the game.
Hernández’s leadoff home run in the bottom of the eighth gave the Dodgers their decided lead. Kiké Hernández created more separation with a pinch-hit, three-run homer.
Dodgers go for series win
Now having avoided their first four-game losing streak since July 2024, the Dodgers look to clinch a series win in the rubber match on Sunday afternoon.
Tyler Glasnow is making the start, his first since leaving an outing last week due to cramping.
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