Dodgers get production from young & old to finish off sweep of Pirates

LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers got production from both ends of a couple of spectrums in beating the Pirates, 5-2, with Cody Bellinger and Chase Utley backing Kenta Maeda on Wednesday night completing a three-game sweep at Dodger Stadium.

Maeda was the big story, taking a shutout into the ninth inning, and there is more on him here.

It was the third sweep in the last four series for the Dodgers, winners of a season-best five straight games, and 10 of their last 12.

Cody Bellinger struck first. After a two-out walk in the opening frame, Bellinger drove a ball the opposite way against Chad Kuhl and over the wall for his sixth home run of the season, giving the Dodgers a 2-0 lead.

Bellinger is now tied for the team lead with six home runs despite playing only 14 of the Dodgers’ 34 games this season. In Dodgers history, only Matt Kemp reached six career home runs faster than Bellinger, needing 13 games in 2006.

In the third inning, Bellinger almost hit another home run, but his drove down the right field line curled foul at the last moment, missing his seventh home run by maybe five feet.

As hot has Bellinger has been to start his career, the veteran Chase Utley has been just as cold in 2017. Utley, making his first start at first base this season, doubled in Tuesday night’s game, but even that only brought him to 6-for-52 (.115) on the season.

Utley, 38, is the oldest player on the Dodgers roster. Bellinger, 21, is the second-youngest, and the youngest position player.

After Bellinger’s home run in the first, a single and a walk set the stage for Utley, who singled home another run to widen the Dodgers’ lead.

The Dodgers scored nine runs in the first inning of this series against Pittsburgh.

In the fourth inning, Utley was at it again, doubling home Chris Taylor from first base, giving Utley his first multi-hit game of the season.

Not to be forgotten, Yasmani Grandal added an RBI double in the eighth inning to add an insurance run. Grandal was 3-for-3 with a walk on Wednesday, and has three straight multi-hit games, each with one extra-base hit.

Wednesday particulars

Home run: Cody Bellinger (6); Francisco Cervelli (3)

WP - Kenta Maeda (3-2): 8⅓ IP, 5 hits, 2 runs, 5 strikeouts

LP - Chad Kuhl (1-3): 5 IP, 6 hits, 4 runs, 2 walks, 4 strikeouts