Pirates defeat Dodgers again, 5-3
The Pirates tacked on an insurance run in the top of the ninth and held on for a 5-3 win over the Dodgers, winning the first two games of the three-game series.
Final score: Pirates 5, Dodgers 3
It’s 4-3 Pirates after six innings
After an uneventful couple of innings, Justin Turner walked to lead off the bottom of the sixth. He moved to third on Chris Taylor’s single to right. Gavin Lux struck out looking. Kevin Pillar struck out swinging, but the ball got past the catcher, allowing Turner to score and Taylor to take second. Mookie Betts popped to first to end the inning.
Score after six: Pirates 4, Dodgers 3
Trea Turner’s homer narrows Pirates’ lead to 4-2
The Dodgers struck back in the bottom of the third after Julio Urías escaped a bases-loaded, one-out situation by striking out two. Mookie Betts walked and was forced at second on Freddie Freeman’s bouncer to first. Trea Turner then homered to left to make it 4-2 Pirates. Will Smith flied to center. Edwin Ríos walked. Justin Turner grounded to third to end the inning.
Score after three: Pirates 4, Dodgers 2
Pirates extend lead to 4-0 after two
More bad news in the top of the second. Tyler Heineman singled with two out and then scored on Tucupita Marcano’s home run. Marcano has two career homers. Both against the Dodgers. Both in this series.
In the bottom of the second, the Dodgers got two men on with one out, but Gavin Lux and Kevin Pillar grounded out to end the threat.
Score after two: Pirates 4, Dodgers 0
Pirates jump out to 2-0 lead
The Pirates continue to look like the ’27 Yankees against the Dodgers. Ke’Bryan Hayes led off the game with a walk and one out later, Michael Chavis homered to left for a 2-0 lead. Julio Urías struck out the next two to end the inning.
The Dodgers got a two-out single from Trea Turner, but left him there.
Score after one: Pirates 2, Dodgers 0
Happy 50th birthday to Dave Roberts, the winningest MLB manager ever
Dave Roberts turned 50 on Tuesday and the crowd sung “Happy Birthday” to him a few minutes before the game. He planned to celebrate afterward with his wife, Tricia, son Cole and daughter Emme, all of whom were in attendance.
“I’ve got one kid [Cole] in college and one kid [Emme] going into college, and to have everyone here is special,” he said. “Days like this with all of them are numbered. They won’t happen very often going forward. It’s a great day.
“I’ve got a lot to be grateful for and I think my best years are ahead of me.”
He’s had some excellent years already. Roberts boasts the highest winning percentage of any manager in major league history at .625. His detractors are quick to point out the Dodgers’ superior talent since he took the helm in 2015.
That much is undeniable. But the same is true of every manager with a winning percentage significantly over .500. Joe McCarthy is second to Roberts at .615, and he managed the New York Yankees from 1931 to 1946 when they consistently fielded the best lineup in baseball.
Third on the list is current Yankees manager Aaron Boone with a winning percentage of .608. Charles Comiskey is the only other manager with a winning percentage over .600 and he retired in 1894.
The numbers suggest a major league manager is only as good as his roster. Look no further than the career of Hall of Famer Joe Torre as evidence. His teams posted winning records in only five of his first 14 seasons with the New York Mets, Atlanta Brave and St. Louis Cardinals. Only his 1982 Braves made the playoffs and they were swept in the first round.
Torre was named manager of the uber-talented Yankees in 1996 and immediately acquired a winning touch. The Yankees won four World Series in his first five seasons and at least 92 games every season but one in his 12 with the team. Torre finished his career with three seasons as Dodgers manager but didn’t take them to the World Series.
Roberts, of course, stepped into a plum position with the Dodgers and has won five division titles, three National League pennants and the 2020 World Series title. He’s well on his way to the Hall of Fame if he remains with the Dodgers and they continue to stock their roster with talent.
Tonight’s starting lineups
Craig Kimbrel blows save, Dodgers still happy about Clayton Kershaw, Andrew Heaney
The Dodgers appear poised to get the right stuff back from the left side.
Left-handed starters Clayton Kershaw and Andrew Heaney took major steps toward coming off the injured list long before fans arrived at Dodger Stadium on Monday night for the series opener against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Then the game began and staff ace Walker Buehler and closer Craig Kimbrel took pronounced steps backward, enabling the Pirates to escape with a 6-5 victory.
How to watch and stream the Dodgers this season
Here’s a look at the Dodgers broadcast and streaming schedule for the remainder of the 2022 regular season: