Dodgers overcome Paul Skenes, then batter Pirates bullpen in blowout win
PITTSBURGH –– For most teams, spotting Paul Skenes an early two-run lead would be a death sentence.For the red-hot Dodgers, it was just a temporary challenge en route to another blowout win.In a 12-3 defeat of the Pirates on Tuesday night, the Dodgers erased their early deficit by tagging Skenes with two runs in his six-inning start, then unloaded on the Pittsburgh bullpen in a 10-run seventh-inning onslaught.The 10 runs marked the most the Dodgers had scored in one inning since June 2021.The rally also featured a milestone moment for first baseman Freddie Freeman, who collected his 2,500th career hit in his second time up.The Dodgers’ turnaround had been well underway before then, beginning with another solid effort from journeyman Eric Lauer in his third start with the team.After giving up back-to-back home runs in the first, Lauer retired 15 of the final 16 batters he faced in a 5 ⅔-inning, two-run performance, giving him a 2.76 ERA since joining the club in a trade from the Toronto Blue Jays last month.Lauer’s performance also gave the Dodgers time to figure out Skenes, with the club getting one run in the second (on a Kyle Tucker sacrifice fly) and another in the sixth (on a Max Muncy RBI single) to level the score.California Post News: Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, YouTube, WhatsApp, LinkedInCalifornia Post Sports Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, XCalifornia Post Opinion California Post Newsletters: Sign up here!California Post App: Download here!Home delivery: Sign up here!Page Six Hollywood: Sign up here!With Skenes at 103 pitches by the end of the sixth, Pittsburgh turned to the bullpen to begin the seventh. What followed was an unmitigated disaster. Fifteen Dodgers batters came to the plate.The first nine of them all reached safely and scored.
The team racked up seven hits (including a two-run homer from Andy Pages), four walks (including two with the bases loaded) and a run-scoring error.By the time it was done, three Pirates relieve...