Final
  for this game

Dodgers-Pirates Preview

Sep 27, 2009 - 4:45 AM By SANTOSH VENKATARAMAN STATS Senior Writer

Los Angeles (92-62) at Pittsburgh (57-95), 1:35 p.m. EDT

After clinching a second straight playoff berth, the Los Angeles Dodgers are looking for more.

They can win another NL West title Sunday when they continue a four-game road set against the last-place Pittsburgh Pirates.

Los Angeles (93-62) won 8-4 on Saturday to give manager Joe Torre his 14th straight postseason berth. Torre, who reached the playoffs all 12 seasons he managed the Yankees before joining the Dodgers last year, tied Braves manager Bobby Cox's record of reaching the playoffs 14 seasons in a row set from 1991-2005.

"I don't know who I caught, but it's satisfying ... to be able to go to the postseason the first two years here," Torre said. "I'm the luckiest guy in the world because I don't know if anybody could dream of doing stuff like this, much less doing it."

The Dodgers can clinch the West with a victory Sunday or a loss by Colorado. It would mark the first consecutive division crowns since 1977 and 1978 for the Dodgers, who have been in first place for 167 straight days.

With that in mind, Los Angeles didn't celebrate on the field Saturday. The Dodgers drank a few toasts in their clubhouse, but there were no champagne showers or spraying bottles.

"To me a celebration is saying we reached what we want to reach, but we knew we had to recognize getting to the postseason," Torre said. "We didn't want to let it go by without acknowledging it, celebrating so to speak, but a lot more work to do."

Ronnie Belliard had three hits and scored three runs and pinch-hitter Jim Thome had a two-run single in a five-run rally in the eighth inning Saturday. Manny Ramirez went 2 for 2 with two runs scored.

Los Angeles improved to 4-1 in the season series against Pittsburgh (57-96). The Pirates have lost 24 of 28 as their 17th straight losing season nears an end.

Clayton Kershaw (8-8, 2.85 ERA) will make his first start for the Dodgers since Sept. 4. Three days after that outing, he separated his non-throwing shoulder when he ran into an auxiliary scoreboard in Dodger Stadium while shagging fly balls in batting practice.

Kershaw returned to the mound in Tuesday's 14-2 win over Washington, striking out four in two innings of relief. Now, he'll try to end his long winless streak while auditioning for a postseason rotation spot. Kershaw is 0-3 with a 2.75 ERA in his last nine starts, receiving a total of 10 runs of support in those games.

The left-hander allowed one run over five innings in his only career start against Pittsburgh on Sept. 18, 2008, a game the Dodgers won 4-3 in 12 innings.

The Pirates have lost all four games started by rookie Daniel McCutchen (0-2, 5.25), who will face the Dodgers for the second time. He gave up four runs over a season-low five innings in a 6-2 loss Sept. 14.

The right-hander, who turned 27 on Saturday, last pitched Monday against San Diego, yielding three runs over six innings of an 11-6, 11-inning loss.

McCutchen was called up Aug. 31 from Triple-A Indianapolis, where he went 13-6 with a 3.47 ERA in 24 starts.








  • Pirates 6, Dodgers 5 - FINAL
    LA DODGERS ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
    R Furcal ss 5 0 1 2 0 1 2 .267
    J Pierre lf 5 0 1 0 0 0 4 .310
    A Ethier rf 4 0 0 0 1 1 3 .274
    M Kemp cf 4 0 1 0 0 0 1 .303
    J Loney 1b 4 2 2 0 0 0 2 .287
    R Belliard 3b 4 0 2 0 0 0 0 .274
    J Cast

    Sep 27 4:55 PM


  • NL
    AT PITTSBURGH - SCORING UPDATE
    ERROR BY ANDRE ETHIER ALLOWED GARRETT JONES TO SCORE.
    FINAL SCORE - PITTSBURGH 6, LA DODGERS 5.

    Dodgers 5, Pirates 6  Bot 9, 0 OutsSep 27 4:52 PM


  • NL
    AT PITTSBURGH - SCORING UPDATE
    SINGLE BY LASTINGS MILLEDGE SCORED ANDY LAROCHE AND ANDREW
    MCCUTCHEN
    SITUATION: 3 RUNS IN, L MILLEDGE ON FIRST, G JONES ON THIRD, 1 OUT
    CURRENT SCORE: LA DODGERS 5
    PITTSBURGH 5 BOTTOM,9TH
    DUE UP FOR PITTSBURGH: R DIAZ (.276, 0-FOR-4)

    Dodgers 5, Pirates 5  Bot 9, 0 OutsSep 27 4:51 PM
  • 111
    roots
    RUWTbot Added 111 roots (Close Finish)

    Dodgers 5, Pirates 5  Bot 9, 0 OutsSep 27 4:51 PM


  • NL
    AT PITTSBURGH - SCORING UPDATE
    SINGLE BY ANDY LAROCHE SCORED DELWYN YOUNG
    SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, A LAROCHE ON FIRST, A MCCUTCHEN ON SECOND, 1 OUT
    CURRENT SCORE: LA DODGERS 5
    PITTSBURGH 3 BOTTOM,9TH
    DUE UP FOR PITTSBURGH: G JONES (.303, 0-FOR-2, 2 BB)

    Dodgers 5, Pirates 3  Bot 9, 0 OutsSep 27 4:45 PM


  • NL
    AT PITTSBURGH - SCORING UPDATE
    PASSED BALL BY ROBINZON DIAZ ALLOWED RUSSELL MARTIN TO
    SCORE.
    SITUATION: 3 RUNS IN, R FURCAL ON SECOND, M RAMIREZ ON THIRD, 2 OUTS
    CURRENT SCORE: LA DODGERS 5
    PITTSBURGH 2 TOP,9TH
    DUE UP FOR LA DODGERS: A ETHIER (.275, 0-FOR-3, BB)

    Dodgers 5, Pirates 2  Top 9, 0 OutsSep 27 4:32 PM


  • NL
    AT PITTSBURGH - SCORING UPDATE
    1B/FAILED FC BY RAFAEL FURCAL SCORED JUAN CASTRO
    SITUATION: 2 RUNS IN, R FURCAL ON FIRST, M RAMIREZ ON SECOND, R
    MARTIN ON THIRD, 1 OUT
    CURRENT SCORE: LA DODGERS 4
    PITTSBURGH 2 TOP,9TH
    DUE UP FOR LA DODGERS: J PIERRE (.310, 1-FOR-4)

    Dodgers 4, Pirates 2  Top 9, 0 OutsSep 27 4:30 PM
  • 0
    roots
    RUWTbot Took away 35 roots

    Dodgers 4, Pirates 2  Top 9, 0 OutsSep 27 4:30 PM


  • NL
    AT PITTSBURGH - SCORING UPDATE
    SINGLE BY RUSSELL MARTIN SCORED JAMES LONEY
    SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, R MARTIN ON FIRST, J CASTRO ON SECOND, 0 OUTS
    CURRENT SCORE: LA DODGERS 3
    PITTSBURGH 2 TOP,9TH
    DUE UP FOR LA DODGERS: O HUDSON (.287, 1-FOR-1, 2 BB)

    Dodgers 3, Pirates 2  Top 9, 0 OutsSep 27 4:26 PM
  • 35
    roots
    RUWTbot Took away 76 roots (Close Finish)

    Dodgers 3, Pirates 2  Top 9, 0 OutsSep 27 4:26 PM
  • 111
    roots
    RUWTbot Added 72 roots (Close Finish)

    Dodgers 2, Pirates 2  Bot 7, 0 OutsSep 27 3:50 PM


  • NL
    AT PITTSBURGH - SCORING UPDATE
    GROUND OUT BY JIM THOME SCORED JAMES LONEY
    SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, O HUDSON ON SECOND, R BELLIARD ON THIRD, 2 OUTS
    CURRENT SCORE: LA DODGERS 2
    PITTSBURGH 2 TOP,7TH
    DUE UP FOR LA DODGERS: R FURCAL (.268, 1-FOR-3, RBI)

    Dodgers 2, Pirates 2  Top 7, 0 OutsSep 27 3:49 PM
  • 39
    roots
    RUWTbot Added 39 roots

    Dodgers 1, Pirates 2  Bot 5, 0 OutsSep 27 3:01 PM


  • NL
    AT PITTSBURGH - SCORING UPDATE
    DOUBLE BY ANDY LAROCHE SCORED ANDREW MCCUTCHEN
    SITUATION: 2 RUNS IN, A LAROCHE ON SECOND, 1 OUT
    CURRENT SCORE: LA DODGERS 1
    PITTSBURGH 2 BOTTOM,3RD
    DUE UP FOR PITTSBURGH: G JONES (.304, 0-FOR-1)

    Dodgers 1, Pirates 2  Bot 3, 0 OutsSep 27 2:27 PM


  • NL
    AT PITTSBURGH - SCORING UPDATE
    WILD PITCH BY CLAYTON KERSHAW ALLOWED BRIAN BIXLER TO
    SCORE.
    SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, A MCCUTCHEN ON SECOND, 1 OUT
    CURRENT SCORE: LA DODGERS 1
    PITTSBURGH 1 BOTTOM,3RD
    DUE UP FOR PITTSBURGH: A LAROCHE (.249, 0-FOR-1)

    Dodgers 1, Pirates 1  Bot 3, 0 OutsSep 27 2:24 PM


  • NL
    AT PITTSBURGH - SCORING UPDATE
    SINGLE BY RAFAEL FURCAL SCORED ORLANDO HUDSON
    SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, R FURCAL ON FIRST, 2 OUTS
    CURRENT SCORE: LA DODGERS 1
    PITTSBURGH 0 TOP,3RD
    DUE UP FOR LA DODGERS: J PIERRE (.310, 0-FOR-1)

    Dodgers 1, Pirates 0  Top 3, 0 OutsSep 27 2:14 PM