A Los Angeles Dodgers lineup that mounted a rally in the series opener at PNC Park was kept in check Wednesday night in an 8-1 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates. The loss snapped the Dodgers’ season-high-tying three-game winning streak.
The Dodgers didn’t have a hit off Pirates starter Roansy Contreras until Austin Wynns’ leadoff single in the sixth inning. Prior to that point, the Dodgers’ only baserunners were walks by Jason Heyward (first inning) and Miguel Vargas (fifth).
That nearly led to a rally as Freddie Freeman singled with one out, but he and Wynns were stranded by Jason Heyward and James Outman. Contreras allowed just the two hits and two walks, and collected five strikeouts over six scoreless innings.
He was backed by a Pirates bullpen that held the Dodgers to just a Chris Taylor base hit and Freddie Freeman solo home run over the final three innings.
The inconsistent offense squandered what was an encouraging 2023 debut for Tony Gonsolin. His rehab assignment ended after just one start due to Michael Grove’s right groin strain, and meant Gonsolin was still building up in the start against the Pirates.
He benefitted from a double play in the third inning and wound up getting an out in the fourth before being removed at 65 pitches. Gonsolin allowed just the two hits and issued three walks. He was credited with a scoreless outing thanks to Phil Bickford stranding two inherited baserunners.
Dodgers bullpen stumbles
After Bickford got the Dodgers out of the fourth inning with the game tied, he allowed two runs in the fifth. The Pirates added another against Justin Bruihl in the sixth, and broke the game open with a five-run seventh inning at the expense of Yency Almonte and Alex Vesia.
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