Dodgers’ dingers do in Pirates, 5-2

The Pirates took the give-up-a-bunch-more-hits-than-you-get approach again, but it didn’t work quite as well as last time. The Dodgers outhit the Pirates 14-6 and, though they stranded 15, Los Angeles got three solo home runs on Thursday and the Pirates lost the series finale, 5-2.

Chad Kuhl was not sharp, walking five and lasting four innings, giving up a river shot to Curtis Granderson. Angel Sanchez got a rude welcome to the Major Leagues, allowing back-to-back homers in the eighth and the Pirates’ late rally efforts fizzled. The Bucs have lost nine of 12.

Kuhl picked off Logan Forsythe after a leadoff single in the second, but he walked Enrique Hernandez, who was sacrificed over by Hyun-Jin Ryu and scored on Chris Taylor’s single. The Pirates tied it at 1 in the bottom of the second, with a walk from Sean Rodriguez and singles by Elias Diaz and Jordy Mercer. Kuhl grounded out to leave runners on the corners, however.

The Dodgers retook the lead in the fourth when Granderson blasted a Kuhl sinker for a solo homer, his third in six games with Los Angeles.

Steven Brault relieved Kuhl in the fifth and pitched a couple effective innings. In the seventh, though, Yasiel Puig doubled and, with two outs, Hernandez singled him home for a 3-1 Dodgers lead. Clint Hurdle was ejected after barking about Paul Emmel’s strike zone.

The Pirates pulled back within 3-2 in the bottom of the seventh. Mercer doubled off Josh Fields, who was then relieved by Tony Watson. Josh Harrison walked and Adam Frazier cracked a single to left to score Mercer. With runners on the corners, Pedro Baez came on and struck out Andrew McCutchen.

Sanchez took over for the eighth and, with one out, Yasmani Grandal and Adrian Gonzalez each deposited balls over the right-field wall, upping Los Angeles’ lead to 5-2, where it would stay despite a couple baserunners against Baez in the bottom of the eighth.

Ryu allowed one run on four hits and two walks in six innings. He struck out just two, but the Pirates pounded the ball into the ground against him — 12 groundouts to no flyouts.

Mercer was the only Pirate with two hits. Taylor continued hurting the Pirates, going 3-for-5 with a walk.