Starling Marte and Pedro Alvarez both hit mammoth home runs as the swashbucklers of the NL Central held on to defeat the Dodgers 4-3 on Sunday at Chavez Ravine.
The Pirates took the rubber match of the three game series and have won five of six overall against Los Angeles this season. The Dodgers dropped their first series since Aug. 21-23 in Houston, and their first at home since July 3-5 against the Mets.
"Pittsburgh's a good club and we know it," Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said. "We played them over there and they swept us. We know what kind of club they got. They have the second best record in the National League."
Carl Crawford led off the game with a triple off the right field wall and would score three batters later thanks to an RBI single by Andre Ethier. It was Crawford's first game back (hamstring) since Sept. 12 in Arizona.
"It was a tough at-bat," Ethier said of his RBI single. "His fastball acts different than most, but I was able to get a good swing on it."
Alex Guerrero knocked in the go-ahead run in the bottom of the second, but was thrown out at second base trying to stretch a single into a double.
Marte tied the game at 2-2 in the top of third with a mammoth home run that traveled near the top of the left field pavilion at an estimated distance of 448 feet.
Alvarez followed in the top of the fourth with a solo shot of his own to deep center field. Both blasts traveled nearly 450 feet as the Pirates sluggers beat up Dodgers starter Mike Bolsinger.
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"I don't feel like the same person I was before I got called down," Bolsinger said of the outing. "I'm a different pitcher, my off-speed pitches are inconsistent and that usually is my bread and butter."
Facing the Pirates for the first time in his career, Bolsinger los for the first time since July 5, allowing four runs (three earned) on five hits in just 4.1 innings.
Gerrit Cole picked up his 17th win of the season allowing three runs on six hits in seven innings with nine strikeouts as he outlasted his counterpart.
The Southern California native is 9-2 with a 2.67 ERA against California teams in his career.
Scott Van Slyke hit the Dodgers only home run on the day when he crushed a Cole fastball into the empty space in straightaway center. The game marked Van Slyke's first game since Sept. 15 as he missed the last four games with a hand injury.
Andrew McCutchen reached base five times on the day, going 1-for-1 with a career high four walks.. In 2015, McCutchen is batting 10-20 with four doubles, a home run, 8 RBIs and 7 walks against the Dodgers.
"I felt like I had him on his at-bats," Bolsinger said of facing McCutchen. "I couldn't bury him with my curveball, so when you fall behind on him, he's definitely not a guy you want to let hurt you."
Carlos Frias returned to the Dodgers after missing over 10 weeks with a back injury. Frias was reinstated from the 60-day DL on Thursday as the Dodgers designated starting pitcher Mat Latos for assignment.
Frias pitched two scoreless innings of relief allowing just two hits in his first action since June.
Mark Melancon pitched a perfect ninth for the Pirates earning his MLB-leading 48th save of the season.
Circus Show:
With two outs and a runner on second in the top of the second inning, Cole hit a comebacker at Bolsinger who couldn't quite hang on to the ball. He knocked it down with his glove, and rather than take his time on the throw to first, he tried to underhand it to first baseman Scott Van Slyke.
"I was discombobulated," Bolsinger said. "Everything happened so quick, I probably should have just ate it and let the play go dead."
The ball got away from Van Slyke (the first error) allowing Francisco Cervelli to score on the play, Van Slyke tried to throw to the plate, but he airmailed the throw, sending the ball into the seats behind home plate, allowing Cole to advance to third.
What. Just. Happened? Circus act at Chavez Ravine. 2 Errors on a routine play, give #Pirates a run and runner on 3rd http://t.co/PaTMkKluk6 — Michael J. Duarte (@michaeljduarte) September 21, 2015
Game Notes:
Temperatures exceeded 100 degrees at Dodger Stadium throughout the game.
The Dodgers tied a season-high with three errors.
