Dodgers Are Pitt Bullies in Series Sweep

The Dodgers continued to rebuild their confidence Sunday, capping a strong weekend by defeating the Pittsburgh Pirates, 6-2, before 19,679 at PNC Park.

It was a group effort as the Dodgers rallied for their third consecutive victory, sweeping the Pirates in a three-game series at Pittsburgh for the second time in three seasons.

“This is big because we know we can play better than we did the last couple of weeks,” said third baseman Adrian Beltre, who played a major role in each victory. “We’re a better team than that.”

At least against the Pirates.

Left-hander Kazuhisa Ishii (2-1) recorded the club’s 17th quality start in 25 games. Pirate right-hander Jeff Suppan (4-1) lost despite a solid effort over seven innings.

“It was an important three-game series for us,” Ishii said through an interpreter. “If you don’t win games consecutively in this league, you’re not going to [move] up higher in the standings.”

The bench distinguished itself again with leadoff batter Dave Roberts (strained right hamstring) sidelined and cleanup hitter Brian Jordan (flu) weakened.

Jolbert Cabrera, starting in center for Roberts, opened the seventh inning with a triple and scored the go-ahead run on Cesar Izturis’ single. Mike Kinkade, playing for Jordan in left, extended the lead with a one-out home run in the eighth, and made a sliding catch in the left-field corner in the second.

Alex Cora filled in well for Roberts atop the order, walking three times and contributing a run-scoring double. Izturis had three hits to lead a 10-hit attack.

The Dodgers closed the scoring with two runs in the ninth on Shawn Green’s two-out, bases-loaded double, making things even easier for the major leagues’ top bullpen.

Dodger relievers worked three more scoreless innings Sunday and have given up only one earned run in their last 21 1/3 innings. The Dodgers pulled within one game of .500 at 12-13, a significant accomplishment considering their performance to this point.

“Over the course of this weekend, we showed a lot of signs as to the type of club we’re capable of being,” said Manager Jim Tracy, whose team went 4-2 on its first winning trip this season.

“This past weekend has really resembled what I envisioned when I was sitting at my desk in Vero Beach. It looks a lot more like it.”

Tracy wasn’t alone in his concern about the shaky start. Players made bold comments in spring training about their expectations for the season, and the script wasn’t unfolding as expected.

“It’s nice to get that first sweep in the win column, rather than the loss column,” Green said. “To leave this road trip 4-2, and get one game within .500, it’s big. That’s the next step for us; we want to get over .500 and get moving.

“The last couple of games, we’ve played more the way this team has been put together. It’s not like we had [only] one or two opportunities in the game.

“Now, we’re having guys on in four, five and six innings. That gives you a lot better chance of getting that big hit.”

Cabrera and Kinkade had two of the biggest.

Their late-inning performances were the most recent contributions from a bench that has provided a big boost after a slow start.

“We started [0 for 20] as pinch-hitters, so it feels good when you do your job,” Cabrera said. “We’re starting to pick it up. We knew that, sooner or later, guys would get into their rhythm and start hitting.”

Maintaining focus has been the key, Kinkade said.

“Whatever [Tracy] calls me to do,” he said. “Whether it’s pinch-hitting, or going out there and starting, I try to be ready for it.”