The Pittsburgh Pirates leaned on power hitting and strong pitching Wednesday night, defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers 3-0 at PNC Park. Andrew McCutchen and Bryan Reynolds homered, while five pitchers combined for the team’s major league-leading 17th shutout of the season.
The Dodgers had planned to start Shohei Ohtani, but the two-way star was scratched from the mound due to illness. He remained in the lineup as designated hitter and collected two of Los Angeles’ five hits, though his night ended with a strikeout against Dennis Santana in the ninth inning. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts indicated that Ohtani could return to pitching this weekend when the club visits Baltimore.
Oddsmakers had Los Angeles favored at -160 entering the contest, while the Pirates were listed as +135 underdogs. The total was eight runs, but Pittsburgh’s pitchers ensured a low-scoring outcome.
Emmet Sheehan (5-3) filled in for Ohtani and surrendered a pair of home runs. McCutchen’s second-inning drive marked his 13th of the season and the 332nd of his career, tying him with Moises Alou and Bobby Bonds for 121st all time. Reynolds followed with his 15th of the year, a towering shot that cleared the Clemente Wall in right field.
Joey Bart added three hits, including an RBI single that provided insurance for Pittsburgh in the later innings.
Braxton Ashcraft worked the first two frames on the mound before giving way to Mike Burrows (2-4), who delivered three scoreless innings to earn the win. Santana closed the ninth with authority, striking out Ohtani to record his 13th save.
The Dodgers, who left 10 runners on base, had an early chance to take control in the second inning. They loaded the bases with no outs against Ashcraft, but Andy Pages and Alex Freeland struck out before Kiké Hernández flied out to end the inning, leaving Los Angeles empty-handed.
It was another frustrating offensive performance for the Dodgers, who have dropped four of their last five games. The loss also saw catcher Will Smith exit in the third inning with a right-hand contusion, adding to concerns for the defending champions.
The Pirates’ record improved to 51-51 under interim manager Don Kelly, who replaced Derek Shelton on May 8. The steady climb back to .500 has been fueled by strong pitching, and the staff continues to deliver league-leading shutout performances.
McCutchen’s homer gave the Pirates momentum early, and Reynolds’ blast extended the lead before Bart’s RBI single sealed the result. It was another reminder of Pittsburgh’s ability to compete against playoff-caliber teams despite its position in the standings.
The series concludes Thursday with a marquee pitching matchup. Rookie ace Paul Skenes (9-9, 2.05 ERA) takes the mound for Pittsburgh, while Los Angeles counters with left-hander Blake Snell (3-3, 2.41 ERA). The Dodgers will look to avoid a sweep, while the Pirates aim to build on one of their strongest stretches of the season.
