Pirates sweep Dodgers with 8-4 victory

How’s that for a trip to L.A.? The Pittsburgh Pirates had big nights at the plate from Bryan Reynolds (long overdue) and Rodolfo Castro, while five Bucco pitchers were enough to get it done on the mound and send the Pirates to an 8-4 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers to sweep the three-game set against one of the league’s top teams. It was Pittsburgh’s first sweep in L.A. since 2000.

Reynolds hit a two-run shot in the fifth and finished the game 2-for-3 from the plate with two RBIs. It was Reynolds’ eighth homer of the year and second dinger this series. This one gave the Buccos the lead.

And for good measure, Reynolds also showed off his arm a little bit to help preserve the lead.

Rodolfo Castro then came off the bench to hit a towering blast to left field in the eighth to add two more to Pittsburgh’s total.

Castro did it again in the ninth to help pad Pittsburgh’s lead with a two-run single that scored Reynolds and Michael Chavis, who had an RBI off of an infield deflection. Castro finished 2-for-2 with four RBIs, while Chavis went 2-for-5 with two RBIs.

Jose Quintana got the start at the mound, and he went four and a third, giving up just two runs but scattering seven hits.

Chase De Jong got the win with one and third inning of scoreless relief, getting himself out of a two-runner jam, while Chris Stratton also got out of a jam on Reynolds’ throw.

Anthony Banda made things a little interesting in the ninth giving up a two-run shot to Mookie Betts, but that’s as close the Dodgers would get and the Buccos leave L.A. with the big sweep. They’re now a somewhat surprising 22-27 on the year and aren’t quite as bad as any of us expected. Baby steps, but steps nonetheless.

Nice work, Buccos!