After dropping the series opener, the Los Angeles Dodgers responded with an offensive outburst in their 8-4 victory on Saturday. The production helped offset an early exit from Brandon McCarthy, who now is on the disabled list with a hip injury.
The Dodgers still find themselves one game back of the San Francisco Giants entering Sunday, as the clubs draw closer to a three-game series that begins Aug. 23. In the meantime, the Dodgers see the return of Brett Anderson for the rubber match with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Anderson underwent back surgery in early March and was projected to miss three to five months. In three rehab outings the southpaw allowed five runs (three earned) and had 11 strikeouts over 12 innings pitches.
Anderson is coming off a season in which he went 10-9 with a 3.69 ERA, 3.94 FIP and 1.33 WHIP. He set career highs with 31 starts and 180.1 innings pitched, and led the Majors with a 66.3 ground ball percentage.
The 28-year-old becomes the 13th different starting pitcher and 29th player the Dodgers have used during an injury-plagued season.
In 2014 Anderson made two starts against the Pirates and came away with one victory. He allowed just one run on six hits in a combined 13.1 innings and had a 0.83 WHIP. The Pirates counter with Chad Kuhl, who’s coming off a victory.
The right-hander allowed two runs on five hits over six innings against the San Diego Padres. Kuhl faced the Dodgers in his Major League debut earlier this season and came away with a victory in an average start.
He walked four and allowed three runs on five innings in a duel against Clayton Kershaw PNC Park . On the season Kuhl is 2-0 with a 3.91 ERA, 4.01 FIP and 1.30 WHIP.
Justin Turner is out the of the lineup a second consecutive game because of a right hand contusion, which again has Rob Segedin at third base. Josh Reddick is 3-for-3 with one double and an RBI in his career against Kuhl. The Dodgers have 29 hits through the first two games of the series.
Dodgers lineup:
2B: Chase Utley
RF: Josh Reddick
SS: Corey Seager
1B: Adrian Gonzalez
C: Yasmani Grandal
CF: Joc Pederson
LF: Howie Kendrick
3B: Rob Segedin
P: Brett Anderson
Pirates lineup:
2B: Josh Harrison
SS: Jordy Mercer
CF: Andrew McCutchen
1B: David Freese
3B: Jung-Ho Kang
C: Francisco Cervelli
RF: Sean Rodriguez
LF: Adam Frazier
P: Chad Kuhl
