The Pittsburgh Pirates upset the Los Angeles Dodgers in a low-scoring battle, 1-0, in their first game. Center fielder Jack Suwinski's solo shot in the bottom of the third inning proved to be the difference for the Pirates in the tight contest.
The bats of Dodger superstars failed to light up, giving Jared Jones the win for the home squad after a six-inning shift of no-run ball, giving up just three hits and three walks while fanning six batters. Meanwhile, perennial Cy Young candidate Tyler Glasnow incurred the loss for the Dodgers—his fourth of the year.
Dodgers vs Pirates: Preview
Game 2 of the three-game series between the two squads begins at 6:40 p.m. EDT at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on Wednesday. The hotly contested matchup can be seen on SportsNet-PIT/LA and watched via the MLB Network (out-of-market).
Trending
Even with the Game 1 loss, the Dodgers remain kings of the NL West with a 38-24 win-loss card. Meanwhile, the Pirates pulled themselves out of the last spot in the NL Central with the victory, moving them half a game ahead of the Cincinnati Reds. The Pirates sport a 28-32 record.
Dodgers vs Pirates: Head-to-Head
The Dodgers and Pirates have played 2,174 games against each other. The overall tally, though, favors the California-based squad, having claimed victory in 1159 contests, while the Pirates have had 1,015 wins.
Dodgers vs Pirates: Pitching Matchups
The battle on the mound in the middle game of the series will feature a mouthwatering contest.
Veteran lefty James Paxton will start Game 2 for the Dodgers. Among all MLB pitchers who has made at least 10 starts this year, Paxton remains the only one yet to record a loss. His tally stands at 5-0 with a 3.29 ERA.
On the other side of the fence, MLB Pipeline's best pitching prospect Paul Skenes will face the NL powerhouse Dodgers for the first time in his young career. The young fireballer owns a 2-0 record with a 2.45 ERA and a 0.91 WHIP with 30 strikeouts this season. He has a chance to showcase his skills against arguably the best batting lineup in the league.
Dodgers vs Pirates: Prediction
In Game 1 of the series, both teams struggled to find offense, combining for just nine base hits. Expect the opposite in Game 2, as fireworks are expected after a low-scoring first game.
Nonetheless, the contest should once again be a nip-and-tuck tilt. The Blue Crew is one of the strongest teams in the league, boasting a top five batting lineup and pitching crew.
Not to be shadowed, though, Pittsburgh will look for a repeat performance against one of the MLB's best teams. After all, the Bucs boast a pitching staff that's in the upper half of league averages.
Given the star power and grit expected after getting defeated by an under .500 team, the Dodgers should take Game 2 against Pittsburgh, carried by the bats of Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman and Mookie Betts.
