LOS ANGELES _ The duo of Yasmani Grandal and Chris Taylor powered the Los Angeles Dodgers offense as the team completed a three-game burial of Pittsburgh in a 6-4 victory. The Dodgers outscored the Pirates by the tune of 31-8 during this midweek sweep at Dodger Stadium.
Both Grandal and Taylor provided 3 RBI. Rich Hill delivered five innings of two-run baseball, with his outing enlivened by a gallivant around the bases as a hitter. Justin Turner avoided disaster when a fastball narrowly missed his head. Daniel Hudson earned his first ejection as a Dodger.
It was an eventful afternoon. When Edward Paredes surrendered a two-run homer in the eighth inning, manager Dave Roberts summoned Kenley Jansen for a five-out save. Jansen returned from a three-day layoff to record his 23rd save of the season.
The Pirates reached into their farm system to find a starter for Wednesday. After Nick Kingham and Ivan Nova got pounded in the first two games of this series, Pittsburgh needed a fresh arm when Joe Musgrove landed on the disabled list with a finger infection. The organization turned to Clay Holmes, a 25-year-old with two big-league appearances on his resume and a 3.93 earned-run average in triple-A.
Holmes dealt with immediate stress. Joc Pederson and Max Muncy started the first inning with walks. It was less explosive than the night before, when they hammered back-to-back home runs, though it still set the table for some scoring. Grandal dunked an RBI single into left field, but the team squandered a chance for more when Enrique Hernandez struck out with the bases loaded.
Hill retired the first six hitters he faced. He stumbled in the third. A leadoff double by Pirates shortstop Jordy Mercer and a subsequent walk by second baseman Max Moroff put the lead in jeopardy. Pittsburgh moved ahead when outfielder Starling Marte cracked a two-run double down the third-base line.
The Dodgers did not trail for long. Holmes had zipped through the second inning, but recorded only one out in the third. Muncy led off with a single. Cody Bellinger doubled on a 92-mph sinker. Grandal pulled a go-ahead, two-run double into right field on a 97-mph fastball. Chris Taylor stroked an RBI single to end Holmes' outing.
Hill went on his base-running adventure in the fourth inning. The journey taxed his legs, but it started with his hands. He dropped a bunt that trickled past reliever Richard Rodriguez for Hill's first hit of the season and only his sixth since 2009. When Rodriguez uncorked a pair of wild pitches, Hill high-stepped from first to second to third.
Hill stood at third as Muncy came to the plate. Muncy flied out to center field. The ball traveled deep enough for third-base coach Chris Woodward to tell Hill to tag up. Hill lugged his 38-year-old frame to the plate. He did not slide so much as dive. The throw beat him, and catcher Elias Diaz applied the tag. Hill rolled into the dirt and flopped on his back. Then he picked himself up to go pitch.
The play at the plate left Hill looking like a mess. There was dirt on both legs of his pants and across his back. As he pitched the fifth, he waved off a visit from Roberts and one of the trainers. Hill gave up a pair of singles before recovering to keep Pittsburgh off the board.
The Dodgers experienced a scare in the bottom of the fifth. Pirates reliever Tyler Glasnow flung a 99-mph fastball inside to Turner. The pitch collided with his left shoulder, inches away from striking his head. Turner fell to the ground as Roberts and a trainer sprinted to check on him. Turner retrieved his helmet, stayed in the game and trotted to first base.
Glasnow did not get much better. Bellinger and Grandal walked to load the bases. Taylor rolled a two-run single up the middle to increase his team's lead to four runs.
Hudson replaced Hill in the sixth. With a runner at first base, Hudson heard the voice of first-base umpire Jeff Nelson. The umpire appeared to have an issue with Hudson's delivery. Hudson threw a dismissive wave in the Nelson's direction and barked at him. Nelson responded with an ejection. Roberts left his dugout to separate Hudson from Nelson. Hudson spiked the baseball in the grass as he exited the field.
