Pirates explode for 2 runs and 4 hits, but still lose, 6-2

The Pirates' offense exploded for two runs and four hits, but that wasn't enough, as the Dodgers got to Jeff Locke and Chris Leroux and won, 6-2.

Two of the Pirates' hits belonged to Starling Marte, who also showed how valuable his defense can be by gunning down Adrian Gonzalez at second base and pulling what would have been a Juan Uribe homer out of the stands. The Bucs took a lead in the first when Marte singled and Andrew McCutchen homered to left. But the Dodgers tied the game in the bottom of the inning when Nick Punto singled, Matt Kemp doubled and Adrian Gonzalez hit a ground-ball single. Los Angeles took a 3-2 lead two innings later when Carl Crawford doubled, moved to third on a bunt, and came home on a sacrifice fly.

The Dodgers added another run in the fifth on an RBI single by Gonzalez -- this was the one in which Marte threw him out. Then Chris Leroux, making his 2013 debut in the seventh, allowed a solo homer to his first batter, Justin Sellers. Leroux then walked two batters, and Gonzalez picked up his fourth RBI with another single.

Anyway, the only Pirate besides Marte and McCutchen to get a hit was Jose Tabata. The Pirates managed just seven total bases. Pedro Alvarez struck out three times The Bucs have lost their last nine games at Dodger Stadium, Vin Scully noted on the broadcast.