Dodgers vs Pirates Recap: Ohtani, Pages fuel 8-6 Dodger win

The Dodgers came into PNC Park hungry for revenge. Just last night, the Pirates beat them 9-8 in a heartbreaker. Los Angeles had a 43-25 record and wanted to stay hot. Pittsburgh brought a 35-33 mark and hoped to keep rolling. Mitch Keller took the mound for the Pirates. He faced the best lineup in baseball. On the very first pitch to Shohei Ohtani, Keller threw an 82-mph sweeper. Ohtani crushed it 391 feet to right center. The ball exploded off his bat instantly. One swing, one run—the Dodgers had the lead. Kyle Tucker followed with a single that scored Freeman and Pages. The Dodgers kept pounding. Freeman singled to score Ohtani. A wild pitch by Keller let Pages score. Los Angeles jumped out to a 5-0 lead early. The Pirates looked lost at the plate already.

Pittsburgh wasn't ready to quit. In the fifth inning, Rafael Flores Jr. crushed a 440-foot home run to center. The ball soared deep and high. Brandon Lowe followed right after with his own blast to right—a two-run shot that scored Nick Gonzales. Suddenly the Pirates cut it to 5-3. The Dodgers answered back. Miguel Rojas hit a fielder's choice that scored Alex Call. A wild pitch by Evan Sisk in the seventh sent Dalton Rushing home. Rojas added a sacrifice fly later that scored Kyle Tucker. The Dodgers extended their lead to 8-4. Pittsburgh kept swinging. Jake Mangum doubled to center and scored Callihan in the eighth. Flores Jr. doubled again to right, bringing Mangum home. The score became 8-6. The Pirates were still alive.

The Pirates made it close. But the Dodgers had too much firepower. Los Angeles finished with eight runs on strong hitting throughout the game. Shohei Ohtani went 2-for-2 with a home run and two walks. He was unstoppable. Kyle Tucker drove in two runs. Andy Pages scored twice. The Dodgers' pitching staff kept Pittsburgh from exploding bigger. Jack Dreyer earned the win in relief. Tanner Scott locked down the save with a perfect ninth inning. Three strikeouts. Zero hits. Pittsburgh couldn't catch up. Mitch Keller took the loss for the Pirates. The final score was Dodgers 8, Pirates 6. Los Angeles improved to 44-25 and stayed strong on the road. Pittsburgh dropped to 35-34. The Dodgers' lineup proved why they're one of baseball's most dangerous teams.