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Pirates go for three straight wins in opener vs. LA

May 9, 2011 - 2:44 PM (Sports Network) - The Pittsburgh Pirates will try to win three straight for the first time this season as they begin a four-game series with the Los Angeles Dodgers tonight at PNC Park.

The Pirates won the final two contests of their three-game set with the Astros over the weekend, giving them a victory in five of their first seven games this month. Pittsburgh has also evened its season record at .500 (17-17) and can move above the mark with a win tonight for the first time since it was 5-4 back on April 9.

Ryan Doumit played the offensive hero in Sunday's 5-4 victory over the Astros, belting a three-run homer in the bottom of the eighth inning to help rescue the Pittsburgh bullpen.

Starter James McDonald scattered three hits and walked two over six scoreless innings, matching a career-high with eight strikeouts, but relievers Chris Resop, Joe Beimel and Daniel McCutchen combined to allow four runs -- three earned -- over two innings. Resop was charged with three of those runs without recording an out.

However, Doumit's blast put Pittsburgh back in front and Joel Hanrahan tossed a perfect ninth inning for his 10th save of the season.

"Things were kind of spinning the wrong way and [Doumit] put a foot down and changed the direction of the game," said Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle.

Hurdle would love to see his club grab a third straight win tonight, but the Pirates have had their problems with Dodgers starter Chad Billingsley, who is 4-0 with a 4.73 earned run average in eight career outings against them, including four starts.

The right-hander is 1-0 with a 2.78 ERA in five starts since his lone loss of the season on April 6. He did pitch well enough to win on Tuesday versus the Cubs, allowing a run on four hits and two walks over seven innings with eight strikeouts in a game the Dodgers eventually lost, 4-1.

The 26-year-old Billingsley is 2-1 with a 3.92 ERA in seven total starts in 2011 and he'll look to pitch the Dodgers to just to a second straight win following a four-game slide.

One day after having his 30-game hitting streak -- the second longest in club history -- end, Andre Ethier went right back to work by belting a two-run homer as part of a two-hit day in leading Los Angeles to a 4-2 win over the New York Mets.

Rod Barajas and Aaron Miles each drove in a run for Los Angeles, which avoided being swept in three games at Citi Field for a second straight season by winning for just the second time in its past eight games.

Clayton Kershaw (4-3) was solid over 6 2/3 innings, allowing one run on six hits. The left-hander also struck out eight.

"It wasn't great, but I got the job done," Kershaw said.

After opening the season in the bullpen, and throwing 5 2/3 scoreless innings over three appearances, Pittsburgh right-hander Jeff Karstens makes his fifth start in place of the injured Ross Ohlendorf.

Karstens' relief success has not carried over to his starting role as he is 1-1 with a 5.14 earned run average in his four starts. He did not factor into the decision of Tuesday's outing in San Diego after lasting just four innings and yielding three runs on six hits, including two homers.

The 28-year-old has never beaten the Dodgers, going 0-2 with a 6.75 ERA in four meetings, including three starts.

Los Angeles has lost five of its last seven trips to Pittsburgh.