Dodgers lose to Pirates, 10-6, in a game filled with ejections

PITTSBURGH — “Let’s go, ‘Dre.”

That is what Matt Kemp said he yelled from the dugout toward teammate Andre Ethier in the second inning Thursday at PNC Park.

But that bit of cheerleading got Kemp ejected from the Dodgers’ game with the Pirates, sparking a heated, emotional day that ended with Pittsburgh winning, 10-6, to salvage the finale of the teams’ four-game series.

Dodgers Manager Don Mattingly also was ejected. So was starting pitcher Joe Blanton after he was roughed up for eight runs, including two three-run homers by Garrett Jones.

But as they packed for a flight to Atlanta to open a series with the Braves on Friday, the Dodgers — their four-game winning streak over — were more baffled than angry.

It began with Blanton and the Dodgers being irritated from the start with home plate umpire Angel Campos’ calls on balls and strikes.

In the second inning, after Ethier took a called strike fromA.J. Burnett, the Dodgers complained even louder.

“Then Angel said, ‘That’s enough, I don’t want to hear another word,’ ” Mattingly said. Moments later, ‘Matt said, ‘Let’s go, ‘Dre,’ and [Campos] looked over and threw him out of the game.”

That prompted a livid Kemp to run on the field to confront Campos. Mattingly then took over, furiously arguing Kemp’s ejection and then being ejected himself by first base umpire Tim Tschida.

“The league should look at it,” Mattingly said. “We’re in a pennant race. I’ve got the guy who was second in the MVP [vote] last year,” he said of Kemp. “You can’t get thrown out for cheering for your teammate. That’s unacceptable.”

Kemp noted the Dodgers were “trying to build a lead against the Giants and Arizona, and you get kicked out of a game for saying, ‘Let’s go, ‘Dre.’ It’s the first time getting kicked out of a game for cheering on my team.”

Blanton was thrown out by Campos as he apparently said something while walking off the mound in the fifth inning. Blanton declined to discuss it.

“I’m not commenting on any of the umpiring today,” the right-hander said. “I gave up two three-run homers to Garrett Jones. That made it tough.”

Blanton, who also gave up a solo homer to Pedro Alvarez, has been tagged for 26 home runs this season, tops in the National League.

He left after 4 1/3 innings with Pittsburgh leading, 8-4, and the Dodgers tried to come back in the seventh inning.

With the bases loaded, Mark Ellis hit a comebacker that bounced off Burnett’s leg. Ellis, sliding headfirst into first base, was called safe and James Loney scored.

Burnett then hit pinch-hitter Juan Rivera to bring home A.J. Ellis and cut Pittsburgh’s lead to 8-6.

But the Pirates loaded the bases themselves in the bottom of the seventh inning against Jamey Wright, and Clint Barmes hit a two-run single to give Pittsburgh a 10-6 lead and ensure Burnett picked up his 15th victory.

james.peltz@latimes.com