LOS ANGELES (AP) — Gavin Lux continued his winning streak with three RBIs, Teoscar Hernandez hit a home run and the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated standout rookie Paul Skenes and the Pittsburgh Pirates 4-1 on Saturday night.
Hernandez scored three hits for the Dodgers, who won for the fifth time in their last seven games, with their only two losses in that stretch coming to the National League’s best, the Philadelphia Phillies.
The Dodgers won despite losing rookie right-hander River Ryan after 4 2/3 scoreless innings because of an injury to his right forearm.
Skenes (6-2) allowed four runs on six hits in six innings, one walk and eight strikeouts, a career-best performance.
The hard-throwing right-hander has allowed more than two runs in just three of his 15 starts, two of them against the Dodgers. He won against Los Angeles on June 5, when he allowed three runs in five innings.
Ke’Bryan Hayes hit a home run in the ninth inning for the Pirates, who matched a season-record sixth consecutive loss. It was Hayes’ fourth home run of the season.
Lux had an RBI double to left-center field against Skenes in the first inning and a two-run single against him in the third. After a slow start this season, Lux has now had hits in 15 of the 20 games since the All-Star break.
The Dodgers had to retire Ryan in the fifth inning during an at-bat against Michael A. Taylor when he winced and held his right arm close to his body during 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 for the win.
The Dodgers made it 4-0 in the fifth inning when Hernandez hit a home run to right-center field against Skenes, his 26th of the season. Skenes has allowed nine home runs, three of them in his two starts against Los Angeles.
The Dodgers’ defense did its best. Centerfielder Kevin Kiermaier took extra bases away from Rowdy Telez with a running catch in the fourth inning before he slammed into the wall. Third baseman Enrique Hernandez took away at least a double from Joey Bart with a diving catch near the free throw line in the sixth inning.
Pirates right-hander Ben Heller escaped a bases-loaded situation in the seventh inning with consecutive strikeouts by Hernandez, Freddie Freeman and Lux.
TRAINING ROOM
Pirates: RHP Domingo Germán emerged healthy from his four-inning debut for the Pirates on Friday and will continue to serve as a relief pitcher. Manager Derek Shelton said they could consider a starting position in the near future. … RHP Jared Jones (lat) will have at least one more outing with Triple-A Indianapolis before considering a return. … OF Andrew McCutchen was not in the starting lineup for the second straight game but was available as a reliever.
Dodgers: 3B Max Muncy (oblique), who has not 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), acquired from the Cardinals at the trade deadline, had his first rehab game since joining the Dodgers and collected a hit in three at-bats for Oklahoma City.
Next
Pirates: LHP Bailey Falter (5-7, 3.87 ERA) pitched two innings against the Padres on Tuesday and was removed from the game after a long rain delay.
Dodgers: RHP Tyler Glasnow (9-6, 3.54 ERA) will face his original club, which drafted him in the fifth round in 2011.
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