Recap: Pittsburgh vs. Los Angeles
Sports Network | September 18, 2008
Pittsburgh, PA (Sports Network) - James Loney had the game-winning RBI single in the 12th inning and the Los Angeles Dodgers downed the Pittsburgh Pirates, 4-3, in the finale of a four-game set from PNC Park.
The Dodgers pushed their division lead to four games over the Arizona Diamondbacks, who host San Francisco later Thursday. Matt Kemp had two hits and scored two runs while Blake DeWitt drove in a pair for LA, which has won seven of nine overall. Andre Ethier knocked in the other run and Scott Proctor (2-0) got the win with a scoreless 11th frame.
Nyjer Morgan had two hits, scored two runs and swiped a pair of bases while Nate McLouth, Andy LaRoche and Luis Cruz each had an RBI for the Pirates, who dropped three of four in the series.
Craig Hansen (1-4) walked the bases loaded in the 12th with one down and T.J. Beam entered to face Loney, who sliced an RBI single to left for a 4-3 lead. Kemp popped out and DeWitt went down on strikes to end the inning.
Jonathan Broxton came on to close it out in the home 12th and struck out Ryan Doumit but walked Morgan, who stole second. Cruz hit a comebacker that Broxton knocked down to get the second out. A free pass was given to McLouth and both runners advanced into scoring position on defensive indifference. But Jason Michaels hit a weak pop fly to second to end the game and give Broxton his 14th save on the year.
Clayton Kershaw was charged with two hits and one run, while walking a pair and striking out five in a five-inning start while Paul Maholm surrendered three runs on three hits and six walks through seven innings in taking a no- decision.
Pittsburgh took an early lead with a run in the first. Morgan doubled down the left field line to open the frame and took third on a wild pitch. After a Cruz foul out, McLouth lofted a sacrifice fly to left for a 1-0 lead.
LA battled back to take a 2-1 lead in the fourth. Manny Ramirez walked to start the frame but Maholm recorded two quick outs. Kemp doubled, putting both runners in scoring position for DeWitt, who lined a two-run single to center.
The Pirates tied the game in the sixth. Takashi Saito came on to pitch and allowed a one-out double to McLouth. After a Michaels pop out, Adam LaRoche was given a free pass and little brother Andy LaRoche followed with an RBI single back through the middle.
Maholm had control problems in the seventh and handed LA its lead back. The lefty walked both Kemp and DeWitt to start the frame and Angel Berroa laid down a sac bunt to advance the runners. Pinch-hitter Delwyn Young fouled out and Russell Martin was issued a free pass to load the bases. Ethier fought off a pitch for a run-scoring infield hit that scooted just past Maholm. Ramirez was retired on a fly ball to left for the final out of the inning.
Pittsburgh, however, came back to tie the game at three in the bottom half. With Cory Wade on the hill, Morgan slapped a single to center with two away and swiped second before Cruz brought him home with a single to right.
Jesse Chavez started the eighth for Pittsburgh and got two quick outs before Kemp singled to left and stole second. DeWitt was intentionally walked and Sean Burnett came on to face pinch-hitter Mark Sweeney, but Kemp inexplicably tried to take third after one pitch and was thrown out by catcher Raul Chavez to wipe out the rally.
The Pirates went quietly in the eighth and again in the ninth, as did the Dodgers to send the game to extras. Chan Ho Park drilled Morgan to start the home 10th and a sacrifice moved the runner to second. After McLouth was given a free pass, Michaels hit a chopper back to the mound. Park wheeled and fired to second but no one was covering. DeWitt made a diving stop of the throw behind second and fired home just in time to get Morgan trying to score.
Los Angeles captured the season series, 5-2...The Dodgers finished their 10- game road trip with a 7-3 mark and return home Friday to kick off a six-game homestand against San Francisco before hosting San Diego for three games...Pittsburgh hosts Houston next for a three-game weekend set starting Friday...LA left 12 men on base while Pittsburgh stranded 10.
