Pirates 2 - 1 Dodgers
Final
  for this game

Pirates get past Dodgers

May 31, 2014 - 6:11 AM Los Angeles, CA (SportsNetwork.com) - Francisco Liriano struck out eight in 5 2/3 scoreless innings to earn his first win of the season and help the Pittsburgh Pirates edge the Los Angeles Dodgers, 2-1, in the second test of a four-game set from Dodger Stadium.

It took Liriano (1-5) 12 games to finally enter the win column on the heels of his terrific 2013 campaign in which he compiled a career-high 16 wins. He allowed five hits and walked a pair.

"It was a battle out there tonight," said Liriano. "I just tried to stay focused. My changeup was working and I had better location. It's good to get that first win out of the way because I felt I wasn't doing my job."

Ike Davis went 2-for-4 with a solo homer for Pittsburgh, winners in seven of 10. Josh Harrison also had two hits and Neil Walker drove in the other run.

Josh Beckett (3-2) yielded two runs on five hits over five innings in his return to the mound following his first no-hitter against the Phillies on May 25. Four LA relievers combined to allow just a hit in four innings of work, but Hanley Ramirez's RBI single in the eighth was the only run the offense could muster.

"Josh threw the ball okay but wasn't quite as sharp tonight," said Dodgers manager Don Mattingly.

Jason Grilli worked the ninth for Pittsburgh to earn his seventh save of the season.

The Pirates built their lead early on, pushing one run across in both the third and fourth innings. With two outs and Clint Barmes on first, Harrison singled to extend the third and Walker roped one into right, plating Barmes for the first run.

Davis doubled the margin one inning later, crushing a 2-1 offering over the wall in center.

The shutout was intact until the eighth inning. Mark Melancon took the hill and served up a leadoff single to Chone Figgins. Figgins moved to second on Yasiel Puig's grounder and scored as Ramirez lined one to deep right field one batter later.

Melancon induced grounders by Matt Kemp and a pinch-hitting Adrian Gonzalez to hold the lead for Grilli, who faced the minimum en route to his third save since returning from the disabled list.

Game Notes

Ramirez had two of LA's seven hits ... Dee Gordon swiped two bases for the Dodgers, extending his major league lead to 34 steals ... Los Angeles finished 2-for-15 with runners in scoring position.






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