Pirates hit their way past Dodgers to end 16-game streak

Great defense and timely pitching ended the Dodgers’ 16-game win streak against the Pirates, who beat Julio Urías and Los Angeles 5-1 on Monday night at PNC Park in Pittsburgh. It was the first victory for the Pirates over the Dodgers since June 6, 2018.

Just one run was scored in the first six innings of this game, none against Pittsburgh starter José Quintana, who walked four but struck out five and allowed only a pair of hits.

He also got helped by some great defense in the outfield. Left fielder Ben Gamel robbed Justin Turner of extra bases in the first inning, and center fielder Jake Marisnick did the same to Hanser Alberto in the fourth.

Marisnick entered Monday tied for the third-most Outs Above Average in the majors at +5, and tops among all outfielders per Baseball Savant. He spoke with David Laurila at FanGraphs over the weekend about his defensive prowess.

Excellent defense helped the Dodgers fail to cash in any of the eight hard-hit balls they had against Quintana, defined as batted balls with an exit velocity of at least 95 mph.

The Dodgers were 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position.

Pittsburgh was 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position, with Urías scattering 10 hits through six innings. He only allowed one run to that point, helped early by Mookie Betts erasing Bryan Reynolds at third base in the first inning to squash an early rally.

Urías also did some nifty tightrope walking, including reaching 95 mph on his fastball, and escaping a second-and-third, nobody-out rally in the sixth without a run scoring.

Unlike his start last Tuesday, when Urías was pulled after six scoreless innings and just 65 pitches, the left-hander started the seventh inning at 79 pitches on Monday. Three pitches later, his night was over after a Michael Perez home run.

Urías, who tied a career high with 11 hits allowed, left trailing 2-0.

Pittsburgh added a run against Phil Bickford in the seventh, and a two-run home run off Robbie Erlin in the eighth.

That Erlin was pitching for a second straight night makes it exceedingly unlikely that he would start, or even pitch bulk innings on Wednesday. That likely opens the door for Ryan Pepiot to make his major league debut in the series finale.

Notes

• Edwin Ríos homered in the ninth inning for the Dodgers’ only run.
• Chris Taylor left the game in the sixth inning after fouling a ball off his left knee. Early word is a left bone bruise for Taylor.
• Fifteen hits match a season high for the Pirates.

Monday particulars

Home runs: Edwin Ríos (2); Michael Perez (2), Jack Suwinski (1)

WP — José Quintana (1-1): 6 IP, 2 hits, 4 walks, 5 strikeouts

LP — Julio Urías (2-2): 6+ IP, 11 hits, 2 runs, 4 strikeouts

Up next

Tony Gonsolin takes the mound for the Dodgers on Tuesday night (3:35 p.m. PT, SportsNet LA). Right-hander Bryse Wilson starts for Pittsburgh, ending a streak of seven consecutive left-handed starting pitchers against Los Angeles.