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Pirates hand ball to Morton vs. Dodgers

May 12, 2011 - 2:54 PM (Sports Network) - Pittsburgh right-hander Charlie Morton will try to write another chapter in his comeback story this evening when he attempts to pitch the Pirates to a split of their four-game series with the Los Angeles Dodgers at PNC Park.

After winning just two games in 17 starts a season ago, Morton improved to 4-1 with a 3.13 earned run average in seven starts this year after beating Houston on Saturday. He held the Astros to a run on seven hits over 7 2/3 innings, using his sinkerball to baffle Houston's bats.

"He had his very good sinker tonight," Bucs manager Clint Hurdle told his team's website. "He was repeating his delivery, staying in the strike zone, mixing in his breaking ball every now and then to keep them honest. He flat out pitched tonight."

The 27-year-old is now just one victory shy of the career-best five he won in 2009 and is 15-30 in his career.

Morton, who is 1-0 with a 1.74 ERA in three starts at PNC Park this year, lost his only other start against the Dodgers, giving up six runs -- three earned -- over six innings on April 30 of last year.

After winning the opener of this series to stretch their season-long winning streak to three games, the Pirates have been outscored 12-3 in back-to-back losses. They were shut out for the fourth time this season in Wednesday's meeting, 2-0.

Pittsburgh's offense was without both Neil Walker and Jose Tabata, which helped lead to no run support for starter Paul Maholm. Walker was scratched with flu-like symptoms, while Tabata was given the day off to work on his swing.

Maholm took the loss despite giving up just two runs over six innings.

"Paul didn't have his best stuff, but he gave us another very, very good outing. He took care of his end," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said of his starter.

Dodgers starter Hiroki Kuroda also took care of his end, throwing seven scoreless innings to get the win. He carried a no-hitter into the fifth inning and worked around three hits and three walks with eight strikeouts.

"When he has a good fastball, a good slider and a good split, it's going to be tough to get hits off him," Dodgers catcher Rob Barajas said of Kuroda.

With closer Jonathan Broxton out with a bruised elbow and Hong-Chih Kuo being placed on the disabled list with anxiety disorder, Vicente Padilla earned his third save of the season.

Both of Los Angeles' runs came in the sixth inning. Ivan DeJesus scored when Juan Uribe hit into a double play and Jerry Sands brought home Andre Ethier in the inning with a double. Ethier has reached base safely in 35 straight games, helping the Dodgers win for the third time in four games since a four-game slide.

The Dodgers' Jon Garland takes aim at his first victory in four starts this evening.

Garland is 0-1 with a 3.32 ERA over his winless stretch and did not factor into the decision of his start versus the Mets on Saturday. The 31-year-old righty gave up two runs on seven hits and three walks while pitching at least six innings for a fourth start in a row.

Garland is 1-2 with a 3.66 ERA in five starts this season and 2-2 with a 2.16 ERA in five career games versus the Pirates, including four starts.

Though Los Angeles has won five of its past six versus the Pirates, it has still dropped six of its last 10 at Pittsburgh.