Bucs down Dodgers, gain in NL Wild Card race

LOS ANGELES — A three-run first inning was all the Pirates needed Friday in a 5-1 win over the Dodgers that saw homers from Andrew McCutchen and Jordy Mercer.

The Pirates opened the game with four singles in five at-bats against Los Angeles starter Ross Stripling. Stripling regrouped from there, setting down 18 of the final 20 batters he faced to last seven innings. It was his longest outing since his 7 1/3 innings of no-hit ball in his debut against San Francisco.

Unfortunately for Stripling, those two batters he didn’t retire were McCutchen and Mercer, who each took him deep. Pittsburgh starter Ivan Nova allowed nine hits in 5 1/3 innings, but spread them around well enough to allow just one run. Add that to his seven innings of three-run ball in his Pittsburgh debut, and the right-hander now holds a 2.91 ERA as a Pirate.

With a win and the Marlins’ loss to the White Sox, the Pirates pulled within one game of the second National League Wild Card spot. Pittsburgh’s closest competitors — the Cardinals and Mets — lost Friday.

MOMENTS THAT MATTEREDVintage Cutch: McCutchen was at his best, flashing his former MVP form throughout the night. McCutchen pulled an RBI single to left field in the first, then stole second base, only his fifth steal of the season. He homered to right field, showing the kind of opposite-field power that typically defines his hot streaks. He also made a highlight-reel play in center, racing back and tumbling down after snagging a Yasmani Grandal line drive in the …

continue reading in source mlb.mlb.com