Max Muncy hit a tiebreaking home run in the eighth inning, lifting the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 2-1 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Monday night for their fourth straight victory.
Billy McKinney’s solo shot — his first with the Dodgers — tied the game in the seventh.
The Dodgers’ winning streak over the Pirates reached 14 games and they've won 11 in a row against them at home. They are 21-2 versus Pittsburgh since 2017.
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Blake Treinen (3-5) got the win in relief. He struck out two in 1 1/3 innings.
Kenley Jansen pitched the ninth for his 24th save, but not without some suspense.
The Pirates had the potential tying run in scoring position with one out after newly signed Yoshi Tsutsugo doubled into the left-field corner off Jansen. Tsutsugo moved to third on Hoy Park's groundout, but Jansen got Ke'Bryan Hayes to ground out to end the game.
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Offense was in short supply for both teams. They had three hits each through six scoreless innings.
Muncy homered twice in a 14-4 victory over the Mets on Sunday night. He and the rest of the Dodgers arrived back in Los Angeles after 3 a.m. Muncy popped up, walked and was hit by a pitch in his first three plate appearances before driving his 26th homer to right field off Chasen Shreve (1-1).
McKinney tied the game 1-all in the seventh, going deep to right off Anthony Banda in a matchup of lefties. McKinney was acquired July 21 from the Mets.
The Pirates took a 1-0 lead in the seventh. Gregory Polanco got hit by a pitch from Brusdar Graterol, took second on Rodolfo Castro's infield single and scored on a throwing error by first baseman Cody Bellinger. Pinch-hitter Wilmer Difo sacrificed and Bellinger raced in only to fire the ball past the bag.
The Pirates stranded 10 runners in the game.
Left-hander Justin Bruihl opened a bullpen game with one inning for the Dodgers. He turned it over to Andre Jackson, who was making his major league debut after being recalled earlier in the day.
Jackson allowed two hits in four innings, struck out five and walked four. The 25-year-old right-hander has split this season between Double-A Tulsa and Triple-A Oklahoma City, with a combined record of 5-2 and a 3.28 ERA.
Steven Brault started for the Pirates, allowing three hits in 5 2/3 innings. He struck out four and walked one.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Dodgers: LHP Clayton Kershaw (left elbow inflammation) played catch for the first time and will do so again this week. How his arm responds will determine how aggressive he can be going forward. “The best-case scenario is he's making a couple starts in September,” manager Dave Roberts said. ... C Will Smith got the night off.
BUCS MOVE
Tsutsugo, a 29-year-old utility player, has spent most of this season with Triple-A Oklahoma City, where he hit .257 with 10 home runs and 32 RBIs. Tsutsugo was on Tampa Bay’s opening day roster before being designated for assignment on May 11. He was acquired by the Dodgers four days later and played in 12 games before going on the injured list June 9 with a right calf strain. Tsutsugo was outrighted off Los Angeles’ roster on July 7 and released on Saturday. To make room for him on the 26-man active roster, John Nogowski was designated for assignment.
UP NEXT
Pirates: RHP Wil Crowe (3-7, 5.27 ERA) has lost back-to-back starts after winning two in a row. He's won two of his last three starts on the road.
Dodgers: LHP David Price (4-1, 3.60) has pitched more than five innings in a game just twice this season. He has yet to become a permanent part of the rotation even though injuries and Trevor Bauer's off-field issues have decimated the starting staff.
