Astacio Has Good Night Pitching and Hitting

For seven innings, Pedro Astacio had gotten as many hits as he had give up, which meant he was having a pretty good night.

Astacio pitched three-hit ball for eight innings Thursday night, and the Dodgers shut out the Pittsburgh Pirates, 4-0.

“That guy just outmatched us,” Pirate Manager Jim Leyland said. “He made it look easy. He had the fastball, curveball and changeup all going. He went inside on guys, too. Even though we’re a young team, we haven’t been overmatched often this year, but we were this time.”

Perhaps it looked easy because it was. Catcher Mike Piazza said Astacio stuck to a fundamental formula.

“Plain and simple, he threw strikes,” Piazza said. “He was aggressive. It sounds basic, but it’s really true. Where he gets in trouble is when he tries to nibble and be more precise than he has to be. I hope he can build on what he did tonight.”

Astacio (11-7) struck out eight and walked one.

In two starts against Pittsburgh this season, Astacio pitched 15 shutout innings and gave up only eight hits.

“Before, I would throw two good games, then one bad one,” he said. “Now I’m more consistent.”

Astacio helped himself with two hits and a sacrifice, and won for the fourth time in five decisions. He took over the team lead in victories from Orel Hershiser. Astacio, however, admitted that he’s no match at the plate for Hershiser, who’s batting .424 this year.

“No way,” Astacio said. “I’m a bad hitter.”

Jim Gott pitched the ninth and gave up one hit.

“Get a fresh horse in there,” Dodger Manager Tom Lasorda said. “That’s how the pony express used to operate. The first horse gets tired, you get a fresh horse.”

Raul Mondesi, batting leadoff, hit a two-out, two-run triple in the second inning for a 3-0 lead.

The Dodgers scored a run in the first against Jeff Ballard (2-1). Jody Reed singled and scored on Piazza’s double.