Pirates 13, Dodgers 6
PITTSBURGH -- Jung Ho Kang's three-run home run capped a nine-run seventh inning and Andrew McCutchen homered and drove in four runs as the Pittsburgh Pirates rallied for a 13-6 victory to complete a sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday night.
Kang, the rookie shortstop, greeted right-handed reliever Joel Peralta with his ninth homer of the season after the Pirates scored eight runs in 2/3 of an inning off righty reliever Jim Johnson (3-4).
McCutchen's homer -- a shot off the batter's eye in center fielder -- came with a runner in the fifth inning to draw the Pirates within 5-3 and the All-Star center fielder had a two-run single during the big seventh inning that put Pittsburgh on top 12-5.
McCutchen is hitting .455 (15-for-33) with 13 RBIs and 12 runs scored in his last 10 games and an MLB-high .410 with runners in scoring position this season.
Pirates catcher Francisco Cervelli also had three hits, including a solo home run in the eighth inning, and three RBIs.
Third baseman Aramis Ramirez and second baseman Neil Walker each had two of the Pirates' 16 hits.
Cervelli, left fielder Starling Marte and Ramirez all had RBI singles in the seventh and Walker hit a sacrifice fly.
Right-handed reliever Arquimedes Caminero (2-1) pitched two scoreless innings for the win.
The Pirates (65-44) swept a three-game series from the Dodgers in Pittsburgh for the first time since May 31-June 2, 1999, at since-demolished Three Rivers Stadium.
The Pirates won for the fifth time in six games and the 15th time in their last 18 home games at PNC Park as they drew within five games of the St. Louis Cardinals in the National League Central and maintained a three-and-a-half game lead over the Chicago Cubs in the NL wild card standings.
The Dodgers (63-48) stayed three games ahead of the San Francisco Giants, who were swept in a four-game weekend series by the Cubs at Chicago, in the NL West. Los Angeles had won seven of eight before coming to Pittsburgh.
First baseman Adrian Gonzalez and catcher Yasmani Grandal led the Dodgers' 14-hit attack with two hits and two RBIs each. Right fielder Andre Ethier, second basemen Howie Kendrick and Enrique Hernandez, who replaced Kendrick after he left with a hamstring injury, had two hits apiece.
Kendrick left after beating out an infield single in the fifth inning. Hernandez hit a solo homer run in the eighth, his fifth of the season and second in as many days.
Kendrick had his fifth multiple-hit game in a row and is 11-for-23 (.478) during that span.
Both starting pitchers lasted five innings. Pirates right-hander Charlie Morton allowed five runs and 10 hits while Dodgers left-hander Alex Wood gave up three runs and five hits.
The Dodgers struck quickly with two first-inning runs. Shortstop Jimmy Rollins hit a leadoff double and scored on Gonzalez's single. Grandal drove in Gonzalez with a groundout.
Gonzalez hit another RBI single in the third to make it 3-0.
The Pirates got a run in the fourth when Ramirez led off with a double and scored on Cervelli's sacrifice fly.
The Dodgers made it 5-1 in the fifth on an RBI single by Grandal and a run-scoring double by third baseman Alberto Callaspo.
McCutchen answered with a two-run home run, his 17th of the season, in the bottom of the fifth.
NOTES: Dodgers RF Yasiel Puig was not in the starting lineup for the third time in seven games slump. Puig went 0-for-9 in the first two games of the series and was 3-for-22 (.158) over his first seven games in August. ... Los Angeles 3B Justin Turner (thigh) took live batting practice Sunday. He remains on target to return sometime next weekend. ... Pirates SS Jordy Mercer (knee) may begin his rehab assignment with Triple-A Indianapolis as soon as Tuesday, three days earlier than originally expected. ... Pittsburgh RHP A.J. Burnett (elbow) played catch Saturday and Sunday in the first step of his rehab. ... Dodgers LHP Brett Anderson (6-6, 3.06 ERA) will face Washington LHP Gio Gonzalez (8-4, 3.75 ERA) on Monday in Los Angeles. ... The Pirates are off Monday before LHP Jeff Locke (6-6, 4.31 ERA) pitches against Cardinals RHP Carlos Martinez (11-4, 2.57 ERA) on Tuesday in St. Louis.