Grandal, Taylor lead Dodgers to sweep of Pirates
Yasmani Grandal and Chris Taylor drove in three runs apiece, and left-hander Rich Hill won for the first time since April 1 on Wednesday night, helping the Los Angeles Dodgers sweep a three-game series from the Pittsburgh Pirates with a 6-4 victory in Los Angeles.
Starling Marte had a two-run double and Gregory Polanco a two-run home run for the Pirates, who completed a 4-5 trip with three straight losses.
The Dodgers trailed 2-1 before Grandal doubled in two runs and Taylor singled in one in a three-run third inning off Pirates starter Clay Holmes (0-1). That rally gave Los Angeles the lead for good en route to its fourth straight win.
Holmes, a rookie making his first major league start, was pulled after Taylor's hit, having allowed four runs and five hits in 2 1/3 innings. He walked three and struck out two.
Taylor had a two-run single in the fifth inning to give the Dodgers a 6-2 lead, a cushion Los Angeles needed due to Polanco's homer, his 12th of the season, off Edward Paredes with one out in the eighth.
Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen was summoned at that point and recorded the final five outs for his 23rd save.
The multiple-inning save was Jansen's fourth of the season.
Hill (2-3) went the first five innings for the Dodgers, limiting the Pirates to two runs and four hits. He walked one and struck out five.
The veteran hadn't won since his first start of the season more than three months earlier. He was making his 10th start of the year.
Marte gave the Pirates a brief 2-1 lead with a two-run double with two outs in the third. Jordy Mercer had led off the inning with a double and Max Moroff had walked.
Grandal had an RBI single in the first inning to open the scoring.
Grandal and Taylor had two hits apiece, while Max Muncy and Cody Bellinger each scored twice for the Dodgers, who remained unbeaten in July at 4-0.
The Dodgers, who set a National League record with 55 home runs in June before adding 11 more in their first three games in July, went homerless.
Marte had two hits for the Pirates, who lost five of six in their season series with the Dodgers.
The Pirates had lost the first two games of the series 17-1 and 8-3.
--Field Level Media
