Dodgers shake off road-trip blues, down Pirates

Jul 3, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy (13) reacts after hitting a solo home run in the second inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Dodger Stadium.

Jul 3, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy (13) reacts after hitting a solo home run in the second inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Dodger Stadium.
Image: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Max Muncy homered and Michael Grove threw four strong innings in an emergency start as the Los Angeles Dodgers returned home from a rough road trip to earn a 5-2 victory against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Monday

Grove gave up one run on five hits after he was called up from Triple-A Oklahoma City when veteran left-hander Clayton Kershaw (shoulder) went on the injured list before the game. All five Dodgers starters from the Opening Day roster have now gone on the IL, including Grove

David Peralta had two hits and an RBI for the Dodgers, who ended a two-game losing streak and rebounded from a 3-3 road trip against a pair of last-place teams, the Colorado Rockies and Kansas City Royals

Jared Triolo and Austin Hedges each drove in a run for the Pirates, who lost their third consecutive game. Right-hander Mitch Keller gave up five runs, four earned, on eight hits over five innings one day after he was named to the National League All-Star team

Keller (9-4) struck out seven and walked two. He has 17 strikeouts in two starts against the Dodgers this season

The Pirates took a 1-0 lead in the second inning on Triolo’s single to right field that scored Nick Gonzales. Muncy tied the game in the Dodgers‘ half of the second inning with a home run to center field, his 19th of the season and first since June 2

The Dodgers weren’t done in the inning as Peralta doubled and scored on Jason Heyward’s double for a 2-1 advantage. Los Angeles made in 3-1 in the fourth inning on an RBI double from Miguel Rojas

Peralta and Heyward were at it again in the fifth inning to put the Dodgers up 5-1. Peralta had an RBI single and Heyward hit a grounder that Pittsburgh first baseman Carlos Santana booted for an error, scoring Will Smith

The Pirates pulled within 5-2 in the sixth on a sacrifice fly from Hedges

Dodgers left-hander Caleb Ferguson (5-3) followed Grove with one scoreless innings to pick up the win. Evan Phillips pitched the ninth inning for his 12th save as five Los Angeles relievers combined to give up one run on two hits in five innings

–Field Level Media

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