Pirates Pillage And Plunder LA

Tough Loss for Urías/ William Coppola

Los Angeles, CA. Tonight the Dodgers started Latino Sports National League starting pitcher MVP winner for 2021, Julio Urías, Culiacan Rosales, Sinaloa, Mexico, to see if he can stop this young Pirates team who don’t seem to understand just how powerful and dominating these boys in blue are.

The 25 year old 20 game winner in 2021 was making his seventh appearance against the Pirates in his career where he is 3-1 with a 2.52 ERA. The Culiacan native is in his seventh season with the Dodgers and to me he is their most reliable starter. That is a big compliment seeing that the Dodger starters continue to lead the Majors with an ERA of 2.48, well ahead of the next best squad (New York Yankees, 2.82). Their starters boast a record of 24-5.

But just like last night the Bucks jumped out to an early lead with a first inning 2 run homerun by Michael Chavis and then in the second inning a 2 run absolute bomb to dead center by Venezuelan, Tucupita Marcano. For Marcano it was his second homerun in two nights. The one last night was his first ever major league dinger, a 3 run shot that got things started for Pittsburgh.

The Dodgers Trea Turner connected for a 2 run homerun in the bottom of the 3rd for his second hit of the night to pull LA to within 2. He has now hit in 23 consecutive games.

Urías gave the Pirates his usual steady mix of fastballs, change-ups and curveballs. Lots of curveballs. He just made 2 bad pitches

Pittsburgh right handed starter Mitch Keller who only made one bad pitch to Turner was having an easy time with LA through 5 innings giving up only 2 hits, both to Trea Turner. His line was 5 inn, 2 hits, 2 runs, 5 walks, 5 strikeouts, 1 HR, 98 pitches 53 for strikes.

His replacement, Tyler Beede, proceeded to walk Justin Turner and give up a single to Chris Taylor with Turner advancing to 3rd. Then with one out Beede struck out Kevin Pillar with a wild pitch scoring Turner. He was then yanked and the inning ended with the Bucks hanging on to a one run lead. Too bad pitchers have to leave after 98 pitches because just like that box of chocolates, you don’t know what you’re gonna get out of the Bullpen.

The Pirates added a run in the top of the 9th inning and the Dodgers went down 1-2-3 in the bottom half to put this game to bed. Sending the crowd of 52,686, the 6th sellout this year, home disappointed with the loss but not that unhappy because the first 40,000 got a Julio Urías bobblehead doll.

They also got to sing Happy Birthday to Dodger skipper Dave Roberts on his 50th birthday. Plus one lucky fan went home with half of the $73,650 from the 50/50 raffle. Nice that MLB allows betting in the stadiums now. Wonder if Pete Rose knows about that?

With the red hot Mets coming to LA in two days, these two losses to a Pirates team that has struggled so far this season, is interesting. Could it be that the Dodgers are showing a kink in their armor?