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Andrew McCutchen leads Pittsbrugh Pirates past Los Angeles Dodgers

By Wes Crosby, The Sports Xchange
Pittsburgh Pirates center fielder Andrew McCutchen (22). Photo by Archie Carpenter/UPI
Pittsburgh Pirates center fielder Andrew McCutchen (22). Photo by Archie Carpenter/UPI | License Photo

PITTSBURGH -- Center fielder Andrew McCutchen led a five-run sixth inning that powered the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 6-1 win against the Los Angeles Dodgers at PNC Park on Saturday.

After the Pirates surrendered a 1-0 lead in the top of the sixth, McCutchen cracked his second home run of the game, his 11th of the season, over the left-field wall with two men on and no outs in the bottom half of the inning. Right-hander Kenta Maeda, who allowed two hits in his previous five innings, served up a four-seam fastball that McCutchen turned into a 4-1 lead to chase Maeda from the game.

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Saturday marked McCutchen's 11th career multi-home run game and his second of the season, with the other coming April 26 against the Colorado Rockies. McCutchen, the 2013 National League MVP, has struggled this season and particularly in recent weeks, as have the Pirates.

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Pittsburgh (36-39) has rebounded with two wins to open its series against Los Angeles (41-35) after losing 13 of its previous 15 games.

The Dodgers' struggles continued after right-hander Joe Blanton took the mound. Blanton walked Matt Joyce and surrendered a two-out home run to shortstop Jordy Mercer that ballooned Los Angeles' deficit to 6-1.

After pitching five perfect innings, Pirates left-hander Jeff Locke lost a 1-0 lead in the sixth.

Left fielder Scott Van Slyke led off the inning with a double down the left-field line for the Dodgers' first hit. Catcher A.J. Ellis followed up with a double to right field, scoring Van Slyke and tying the game 1-1.

Locke, who improved to 7-5, finished his night by striking out Van Slyke with runners on second and third and two outs in the seventh.

Locke and Maeda battled through the first few innings, but only Locke remained perfect.

Maeda's bid for a perfect game ended with his first batter faced, when he walked first baseman John Jaso on four pitches. A wild pitch allowed Jaso to move to second base and he advanced to third on a ground ball by left fielder Starling Marte before Maeda settled down by striking out McCutchen and forcing third baseman David Freese to ground out.

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The Pirates failed to record a hit until McCutchen stepped to the plate with one out in the fourth inning. Following three consecutive strikeouts, Maeda hung a slow curveball that McCutchen sent 427 feet to left field, giving Pittsburgh a 1-0 lead.

Maeda immediately allowed another hit to Freese before getting Joyce and second baseman Josh Harrison to each ground out.

Meanwhile, Locke continued to breeze into the fifth inning. After using only 43 pitches to go perfect through four innings, Locke nearly saw his potential perfect game come to an end with one out in the fifth.

First baseman Adrian Gonzalez sent a flare toward the left-field line. Freese sprinted toward the floater and was barely able to secure it in his webbing.

Locke finished the fifth by forcing right fielder Yasiel Puig into a groundout, which got a roaring applause from the PNC Park crowd.

NOTES: The Dodgers made several lineup changes the night after an 8-6 loss to the Pirates. Enrique Hernandez batted leadoff and started at second base in place of Chase Utley, who went 2-for-5 with one run on Friday. ... Dodgers LF Scott Van Slyke replaced Howie Kendrick in the starting lineup. ... Trayce Thompson started in center field for the Dodgers, replacing Joc Pederson, who went 1-for-4 on Friday. ... RF Yasiel Puig started a fourth consecutive game since coming off the disabled list with a hamstring injury. He went 2-for-4 with one run for a second consecutive game on Friday. ... Pirates RF Gregory Polanco (left leg) did not start. Matt Joyce again played in his spot a day after going 3-for-4 and hitting his eighth home run of the season. ... Pirates CF Andrew McCutchen started a second game since resting against the Giants on Thursday. McCutchen has had a down season so far with a .239 batting average entering Saturday. ... Pittsburgh LF Starling Marte also started a second consecutive game after being used only as a pinch hitter in the previous two games with an injured foot. Marte batted second, his normal spot in the order, in each of the first two games against Los Angeles. ... Pirates C Erik Kratz replaced Chris Stewart for the second time in three games. Stewart went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts on Friday after sitting the previous day. ... David Freese took over for Jung Ho Kang at third base and batted cleanup for the Pirates.

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