Pirates Jump Out Early, But Skubal Shuts Door
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For almost two innings, the Pittsburgh Pirates looked like they had the Los Angeles Dodgers right where they wanted them.
For the next five innings, Tarik Skubal made sure they would not see experience that feeling again.
The Pirates jumped on the Dodgers' ace for three runs in the first inning Saturday night at Dodger Stadium, but Skubal settled into a dominant groove and Pittsburgh's offense went silent the rest of the way in a 4-3 loss.
Pirates Actually Get After Skubal Early
Oneil Cruz opened the scoring with a two-run triple into the right-field corner off Skubal, a 114-mph rocket that gave the Pirates an early 2-0 lead.
Rafael Flores Jr. followed with a sacrifice fly to bring Cruz home, and Pittsburgh had staked starter Jared Jones to a 3-0 advantage before the Dodgers even came to bat.
It looked like the Pirates might knock Skubal out of the game early with their tweaked, heavily right-handed lineup.
The Pirates threatened again in the second inning, putting runners on second and third with one out. But Skubal escaped the jam with two consecutive punchouts and then simply took over.
Skubal, making his fourth start since being acquired by the Dodgers in a blockbuster trade earlier this month, went seven innings for the first time in a Los Angeles uniform.
He allowed five hits and three earned runs — all the runs in that rocky first inning — while walking just one and striking out 11 over 106 pitches.
The left-hander recorded 23 swings and misses on the night, showcasing the stuff that made him a two-time Cy Young Award winner for the Detroit Tigers, and such an attractive chip at this year's trade deadline.
Jones Battles Control Issues
Jones started strong for Pittsburgh, matching Skubal's early struggles with a clean first inning. But the young right-hander could not sustain it, lasting only four innings while battling fastball command .
The Pirates starting pitcher's line read four innings, three hits, two earned runs, five walks and five strikeouts. The career-high five walks proved particularly damaging, as the Dodgers worked deep counts and drove up his pitch count early.
He looked like he might have turned a corner in his previous start against the Boston Red Sox on Aug. 15, pitching five innings and allowing one earned run in a 4-0 loss at PNC Park.
This was another shaky outing in a season that has been inconsistent at best since a return from elbow surgery.
The Dodgers got to Jones in the third inning when Teoscar Hernandez and Alex Thomas both delivered RBI-singles to cut the Pirates' lead to 3-2.
Los Angeles added two more runs against Pittsburgh right-handed relief pitcher Yohan Ramirez in the fifth inning to tie the game and take the lead after Jones had departed.
Bullpen Can't Hold
Ramirez took over for Jones in the fifth inning and was charged with the loss after surrendering the tying and go-ahead runs.
The Dodgers pushed across the deciding run in the fifth inning to take a 4-3 lead, and Skubal made sure that advantage held. Kyle Tucker, notorious for his struggles at Dodger Stadium this season, provided the go-ahead RBI.
After escaping the second-inning threat, Skubal retired the Pirates in order in the third, fourth, sixth and seventh innings, finishing his outing with a 1-2-3 seventh before handing the ball to the Dodgers' bullpen.
The Pirates managed just one baserunner — an Esmerlyn Valdez walk — from the third inning through the seventh inning, as Skubal piled up strikeouts and kept Pittsburgh's hitters off balance.
Los Angeles' relievers completed the job with scoreless innings in the eighth and ninth, preserving their fifth straight win, a second consecutive one-run victory and clinching the series win.
Series Finale Set for Sunday
The Pirates will look to avoid a sweep in Sunday's series finale at Dodger Stadium on Aug. 23, as they look to salvage one game from the three-game set against the National League West Division leaders.
The loss drops Pittsburgh to 63-68 on the season and seven games back in the NL Wild Card race, continuing what has been a frustrating second half for the Pirates.
The club had shown signs of life earlier in August with back-to-back series wins over the Boston Red Sox and Detroit Tigers, but that momentum has stalled against Los Angeles.
This loss followed a familiar script: early offensive fireworks that fizzled as soon as the opposing starter found his footing.
Pittsburgh's three first-inning runs represented all of its scoring for the night, and the team could not muster another rally against Skubal once he settled into his rhythm.
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Ethan Merrill is from Grand Rapids, MI, and brings with him a diverse background of experiences. After graduating from Michigan State University with a degree in journalism, he worked with the Arizona Diamondbacks for three seasons before settling in the Pittsburgh area in 2020. With a passion for sports and a growing connection to his community, Ethan brings a fresh perspective to covering the Pittsburgh Pirates.