Pittsburgh @ Los Angeles preview
Dodger Stadium
Last Meeting ( Sep 15, 2011 ) Pittsburgh 6, LA Dodgers 2
THE STORY: The Los Angeles Dodgers were officially eliminated from the National League West division race on Thursday, but the team has been looking toward next year for several weeks now. When the Dodgers face the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday, both teams will feature plenty of recent arrivals. Six of the nine Dodgers who started Thursday began the season in the minors.
TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, Root Sports, Prime Ticket
PITCHING MATCHUP: Pirates LH Jeff Locke (0-1, 5.40 ERA) vs. Dodgers RH Hiroki Kuroda (11-16, 3.25 ERA)
Locke made his major-league debut last Saturday against the Florida Marlins and gave up three runs over five innings. He posted an 8-10 mark with a 3.70 ERA in 28 minor league games – 27 starts – this season. Locke was acquired from the Atlanta Braves in 2009 as part of the trade involving Nate McLouth. Kuroda had his shortest outing of the season last Sunday when he gave up three runs over 4 2/3 innings against the San Francisco Giants. He is 4-1 with a 1.89 ERA in six career starts against the Pirates. The Dodgers are 4-10 in Kuroda’s last 14 home starts.
ABOUT THE PIRATES (68-82): The Pirates claimed catcher Matt Pagnozzi off waivers Wednesday from the Colorado Rockies and transferred Steve Pearce (broken finger) to the 60-day disabled list. Pagnozzi is known as a strong defensive catcher, and he batted .275 with three home runs with Triple-A Colorado Springs this season. With the Pirates expected to buy out Ryan Doumit’s contract, the team might pick up Chris Snyder’s option for next year and install him as the team’s starting catcher. Pagnozzi would then be in competition to serve as Snyder’s backup. Doumit has hit .455 (15-for-33) in 12 games in September, but the Pirates have shown little interest in renewing his contract for two years at $15 million. Snyder, whose 2011 season was cut short by injuries, hit .271 with three homers and 17 RBIs in 34 games.
ABOUT THE DODGERS (73-76): Fans are still buzzing about Clayton Kershaw’s ejection after hitting Gerardo Parra above the elbow with a pitch in the sixth inning Wednesday. Kershaw had allowed just one hit at the time, but he managed to earn his 19th win when the Dodgers held on for a 3-2 victory. Both benches were warned one game earlier after Parra admired his game-tying home run off Hong-Chih Kuo. Parra had taken exception to a pitch near his head earlier in the at-bat. Kershaw learned Thursday that he won’t be suspended, and he remains on schedule to make two more starts. His final start is slated to come before the Dodgers’ season-ending series in Arizona on Sept. 26-28. Andre Ethier had surgery Wednesday on his right knee, and he’ll 6-8 weeks to recover. He’s expected to be fine by spring training, although there’s a chance the Dodgers could trade him during the offseason.
FINAL PITCH: Matt Kemp's MVP campaign has slowed after batting .242 with two home runs and 23 strikeouts in his last 62 at-bats spanning 18 games.