Dodgers use four-run fifth to rally past Pirates
PITTSBURGH -- The Los Angeles Dodgers rode a four-run fifth inning to a 5-4 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Monday to avoid a four-game series sweep.
The Pirates (37-40) blew an early 4-0 lead as the Dodgers (42-36) ended an eight-game losing streak at PNC Park.
With the win, the Dodgers avoided their first four-game series sweep against Pittsburgh since 1944.
Dodgers starter Scott Kazmir (6-3), one of six Los Angeles pitchers, allowed four runs on four hits in five innings. Kenley Jansen pitched in the eighth and ninth for his 22nd save.
Pittsburgh starter Francisco Liriano (4-8) allowed five runs, four of them earned, on four hits in 4 1/3 innings. He failed to get a win for his sixth straight game and, in that span, has walked 24 batters.
The Pirates took a 4-0 lead in the first on two walks, two singles and a double. The keys were Starling Marte's bases-loaded RBI single, Sean Rodriguez's bases-loaded walk and Erik Kratz's bases-loaded, two-RBI single.
That inning took a 40-pitch toll on Kazmir, but he bounced back to get through the second, third and fourth 1-2-3 on a combined 22 pitches, with three strikeouts.
The Dodgers got one back in the third. Chris Taylor led off with a triple and scored on Justin Turner's sacrifice fly to make it 4-1.
As Pittsburgh did in the first, Los Angeles batted around in the fifth, chasing Liriano in the process after Yasiel Puig's single to center brought home two runs to make it 4-3. Howie Kendrick greeted reliever Jared Hughes with an RBI single to right to tie it 4-4.
An out later, Scott Van Slyke's infield single to deep short drove in Puig to give the Dodgers what proved to be the winning run.
Kazmir left for a pinch hitter in the sixth, having thrown 97 pitches.
NOTES: For the getaway day game of the wraparound series, Los Angeles gave several regulars a day off from the starting lineup: C Yasmani Grandal, 1B Adrian Gonzalez, 2B Chase Utley, SS Corey Seager and CF Joc Pederson. ... Gonzalez, who was hitting .181 for June, was off for the second day in a row. He told the Los Angeles Times he asked for the time off to take a break from hitting. ... The Dodgers have not announced a starter for Wednesday's game against the Brewers. ... Pittsburgh SS Jordy Mercer, who left Sunday's game after getting kneed in the head on a slide into second, was in the starting lineup. ... Pirates RF Gregory Polanco (leg), who pinch-hit Sunday, remained out of the starting lineup. ... According to Elias Sports, Pirates RHP Chad Kuhl, the winner Sunday night, joined Archie Bradley as only pitchers to get a win vs. Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw in their major league debut. Bradley did so last year with Arizona. ... The Pirates had a cross-country flight after the game. They play at Seattle on Tuesday. The Dodgers traveled to Milwaukee.