Pirates 0 - 3 Dodgers
Final
  for this game

Greinke strong in LA debut as Dodgers blank Pirates

Apr 6, 2013 - 6:20 AM Los Angeles, CA (Sports Network) - In his Dodger debut, Zack Greinke impressed with 6 1/3 shutout innings and Los Angeles took a 3-0 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates in the opener of a three-game set.

Greinke (1-0) signed a six-year, $147 million dollar contract this past offseason with Los Angeles and lived up to expectations in his first start, allowing just two hits and striking out six.

Andre Ethier hit a solo home run while Matt Kemp and Adrian Gonzalez each had RBI doubles for the Dodgers, who had dropped two of three to San Francisco in their season opening series.

"It was a great win," said Kemp. "Greinke came out in his first start and did a great job."

Brandon League pitched a 1-2-3 ninth to pick up his first save of the season.

The Pirates, who had just six runs and 13 hits in their opening series against the Cubs, managed just two hits on Friday.

"I'm encouraged by our pitching and our defense. We had good at-bats tonight, but had nothing to show for it," said Pirates manager Clint Hurdle. "We're 1-3, but we're in games."

Andrew McCutchen and Garrett Jones each had a single and Jonathan Sanchez (0-1) was saddled with the loss after surrendering all three runs on six hits in five-plus innings of work.

Greinke was in control and showed no ill effects from the elbow soreness that kept him sidelined most of the spring. After allowing a hit to Jones in the second, Greinke went on to retire the next 11 batters he faced.

The Dodgers got on the board first with Ethier's solo blast in the second. Four innings later, they pushed two more runs across.

Sanchez, who had escaped trouble the previous inning, walked Mark Ellis to start the sixth. He then gave up run-scoring doubles to both Kemp and Gonzalez and was chased from the game trailing 3-0.

Jeanmar Gomez took the mound and got out of the jam on four pitches, though, as Luis Cruz hit into a fielder's choice and Ethier lined into a double play.

The Pirates recorded just their second hit when McCutchen lined a single to center off Greinke, who then exited to a standing ovation. Paco Rodriguez took the hill and after McCutchen was caught stealing, struck out Pedro Alvarez to end the inning.

Russell Martin's walk to start the eighth was Pittsburgh last baserunner for the rest of the game.

Game Notes

A.J. Burnett will take the hill for Pittsburgh on Saturday and Los Angeles will counter with ace Clayton Kershaw ... The Dodgers had seven hits, going 2- for-5 with runners in scoring position ... Gonzalez went 2-for-4 for the Dodgers.






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