LOS ANGELES (AP) — Gavin Lux continued his resurgence with three RBIs, Teoscar Hernandez hit a home run and the Los Angeles Dodgers got past standout rookie Paul Skenes and the Pittsburgh Pirates 4-1 on Saturday night.
Hernandez had three hits for the Dodgers, who won for the fifth time in their last seven games with their only two defeats in the stretch coming to the National League-best Philadelphia Phillies.
The Dodgers won despite losing rookie right-hander River Ryan after 4 2/3 scoreless innings because of right forearm tightness.
Skenes (6-2) gave up a career-high four runs on six hits over six innings with one walk and eight strikeouts.
The hard-throwing right-hander has given up more than two runs in just three of his 15 starts, with two of those three against the Dodgers. He earned a win over Los Angeles on June 5 when he gave up three runs over five innings.
Ke’Bryan Hayes hit a home run in the ninth inning for the Pirates, who tied a season high with their sixth consecutive loss. It was Hayes’ fourth homer of the season.
Lux had an RBI double to left-center field off Skenes in the first inning and a two-run single off him in the third. After a slow start this season, Lux now has hits in 15 of the 20 games since the All-Star break.
The Dodgers saw Ryan depart during an at-bat against Michael A. Taylor in the fifth inning when he flinched and held his right arm close to his side on a pitch. Left-hander Alex Vesia took over and pitched a scoreless inning, while right-hander Michael Kopech (3-8) went 1 1/3 innings to earn the win.
The Dodgers made it 4-0 in the fifth inning when Hernandez hit a home run off Skenes to right-center field, his 26th on the season. Skenes has allowed nine home runs and three have come in his two starts against Los Angeles.
The Dodgers’ defense did its part, with center fielder Kevin Kiermaier taking away extra bases from Rowdy Telez in the fourth inning on a running catch before slamming into the wall. Third baseman Enrique Hernandez took away at least a double from Joey Bart in the sixth inning with a leaping catch near the foul line.
Pirates right-hander Ben Heller escaped a bases-loaded jam in the seventh inning with consecutive strikeouts of Hernandez, Freddie Freeman and Lux.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Pirates: RHP Domingo Germán came out of his four-inning Pirates debut Friday in good health and will continue to operate in a relief role, with manager Derek Shelton saying they could consider a starting role at some point in the near future. … RHP Jared Jones (lat) will have at least one more outing at Triple-A Indianapolis before a return is considered. … OF Andrew McCutchen was not in the starting lineup for the second consecutive game but was available off the bench.
Dodgers: 3B Max Muncy (oblique), who hasn’t played since May 15, had a double and a walk in his first rehab game with Triple-A Oklahoma City. … OF Tommy Edman (wrist/ankle), who was acquired from the Cardinals at the trade deadline, had his first rehab game since joining the Dodgers, collecting a hit in three at-bats for Oklahoma City.
UP NEXT
Pirates: LHP Bailey Falter (5-7, 3.87 ERA) pitched two innings Tuesday against the Padres and was pulled after a lengthy rain delay.
Dodgers: RHP Tyler Glasnow (9-6, 3.54 ERA) will face his original club, who drafted him in the fifth round in 2011.
