Dodgers regain footing ahead of visit from Pirates

Despite coming off their second series sweep in a 10-day stretch, the Los Angeles Dodgers remain in search of their best form as a three-game visit from the Pittsburgh Pirates begins Friday.

The Dodgers know well the dangers of a late-season series against the Pirates. The teams met for three games in September last season and Pittsburgh completed the sweep at home.

That series was something of a reality check for the Dodgers, who reversed their form days later and went 15-5 to close out the regular season, then won their second consecutive World Series title.

Los Angeles returns home following a three-game sweep at Colorado that still revealed room for improvement. After a one-run victory over the Rockies on Tuesday, the Dodgers needed extra innings to win 6-4 on Wednesday.

"A week ago, we were in a dark place," said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, whose team went 1-8 in consecutive series against the Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs and Arizona Diamondbacks to begin August. "It was just good to see us come back this series and play the way we're capable of."

The Dodgers swept the Kansas City Royals at home last week before losing three of four to the National League-best Milwaukee Brewers. Los Angeles was two games behind Milwaukee in the overall NL standings after the host Brewers downed the Seattle Mariners on Thursday.

The Dodgers will have ace right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto (12-7, 2.60 ERA) on the mound Friday. Yamamoto is 0-1 with a 1.80 ERA in one career start against the Pirates on April 25, 2025.

Pittsburgh will counter with rookie right-hander Bubba Chandler (6-8, 4.23), who has earned the win in each of his last three starts. The most recent of those came last Friday when he allowed two runs over five innings against the visiting Boston Red Sox.

Chandler has a 2.56 ERA over his last six starts, while going 3-0. He has 13 starts this season in which he has allowed two earned runs or fewer.

Chandler had a four-inning relief outing against the Dodgers last season and earned the win after allowing three runs.

While the Dodgers lost all three games in a recent home series against the Red Sox, the Pirates won two of three at home last weekend against the same club. It was part of Pittsburgh's current 5-2 stretch.

The Pirates' most recent victory came Wednesday in a 4-3 decision against the Detroit Tigers when Brandon Lowe hit a game-ending home run with two outs in the ninth inning, two batters after rookie Rafael Flores Jr. hit a game-tying blast.

Flores, who entered the victory as a pinch hitter in the seventh inning, hit two home runs in the game. It was his second multi-homer game since Aug. 13 and his fifth homer in seven games.

"Flo has continued to work hard, going down to Triple-A (for 65 games) and getting better," Pirates manager Don Kelly said. "He's always asking questions, he's always trying to figure out to be better, and I think we're seeing the results of that work and the consistency that it's bringing as well."

Flores has six home runs in 19 games with the Pirates after hitting four at Triple-A.

Pittsburgh was 5 1/5 games out of the NL's final wild-card spot heading into Thursday's play.

--Field Level Media