Hiroki Kuroda tossed seven shutout innings as the Dodgers put up eight runs for the win in the first of this four-game series.
The Dodgers broke the scoreless tie with three runs in the third, keyed by Manny’s two-RBI double. Manny singled the next inning before James Loney drove a two-RBI single to give the Dodgers a quick 5-0 lead. Juan Pierre then drove a solo homerun in the sixth, his first in nearly two years, and he ended up with 3 hits and 3 runs scored. The Dodgers added two more runs in the seventh and eighth innings off sac flies by Blake DeWitt and Loney.
Kuroda held the Pirates scoreless through his seven innings of work, giving up only three runs. He was lifted after throwing just 83 pitches, because Torre wanted to use Saito with the eight run lead. Saito completed the eighth, his first outing in two months, while striking out two and walking one. Penny came in for his second appearance since coming off the DL, and gave up a two-out, two-run homerun to Adam LaRoche that snapped the shutout. Kuroda gets the W and moves his record to 9-10.
Derek Lowe will get the nod for Tuesday’s game. He was lifted in the sixth in his last outing after getting hit by a come-backer off his right knee, but he appears to be alright to start. He will face Jeff Karstens, who is 2-5 with a 4.46 ERA, and the Dodgers can take advantage of Karstens’ current five-game losing streak.
