Jared Triolo produced two doubles and two RBIs and Tommy Pham’s two hits included a two-run double as the host Pittsburgh Pirates earned a 9-7 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday night.
The Pirates (62-77) picked up their 40th win at home this season and handed the Dodgers (78-60) their third loss in the past four games. Pittsburgh won for the third time in four games and has nine victories over its past 12 games.
Shohei Ohtani led the Dodgers with three hits, including his 46th home run, a third-inning solo shot off Pirates rookie reliever Bubba Chandler (2-0).
Ohtani’s RBI double with no outs in the ninth off Pittsburgh closer Dennis Santana gave Los Angeles a chance at a comeback. However, Santana recovered by retiring Mookie Betts on a flyout to left, Freddie Freeman on a lineout to center and Will Smith on a deep flyout to right to pick up his 12th save.
Triolo’s leadoff ground-rule double kickstarted Pittsburgh’s four-run first inning off Clayton Kershaw, who did not factor in the decision, snapping a string of five consecutive starts with a win.
Triolo’s two-run double off reliever Blake Treinen highlighted a three-run sixth inning that gave Pittsburgh a 7-4 lead and put the Pirates ahead for good. Henry Davis broke a 4-4 tie two batters earlier with an RBI single off reliever Edgardo Henriquez (0-1) that scored Andrew McCutchen.
The Dodgers answered with two runs in the top of the seventh, with the second coming in controversial fashion.
Smith appeared to foul tip what would have been a third strike into the glove of Davis, but the umpire called the pitch a ball, deeming Smith had not made contact. After Pirates manager Don Kelly and Davis pleaded their case to plate umpire Nic Lentz to no avail, Smith roped a single to center to score Freeman and cut Pittsburgh’s lead to 7-6.
Pirates reliever Isaac Mattson recovered by inducing an inning-ending groundout from Teoscar Hernandez.
Smith had three hits while Betts and Hernandez each had two hits and an RBI.
Kershaw allowed four runs on four hits, issued a season-high four walks and struck out three over five innings and 83 pitches.
Chandler made his third career appearance, tossing four innings and allowing three runs on six hits. He fanned three without issuing a walk.
