Dodgers, Roberts spill Bucs

Jeff D'Amico retired 16 straight batters before Los Angeles took charge.
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Dave Roberts spent the weekend making life miserable for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
On Sunday, Jeff D'Amico retired 16 straight batters during one stretch before Roberts got a two-out infield single. Roberts continued to second on shortstop Jack Wilson's throwing error and scored the tying run on Paul Lo Duca's single, as the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Pirates 3-2 behind Kevin Brown.
On Saturday, Roberts beat out another slow bouncer to Wilson for a hit, stole second despite a pitchout, and scored on a single by Lo Duca that put the Dodgers ahead to stay in a 4-1 win for Darren Dreifort.
"He had a good series against us," Pirates manager Lloyd McClendon said of Roberts, who is tied for the major league lead with 12 steals. "Speed is something that you certainly can't coach. And when he's on the bases, he's tough. He makes a lot of things happen out there."
Force at the top
Roberts, in his first season as an everyday center fielder, was out of the starting lineup for seven straight games because of a strained right hamstring. He would have started Friday night in the series opener, but manager Jim Tracy held him out because of a wet field.
"Dave's such a force at the top of the lineup," teammate Shawn Green said. "He gets on, he steals -- and when he hits the ball to the left side of the infield, they've got to make a good play to get him. That's what you want your leadoff hitter to be."
Wilson had not committed an error before rushing his throw to first base on Roberts' hit -- ending his 52-game errorless streak.
"The ball that he hit was a routine play probably 99 percent of the time," Brown said. "But in Jack's mind, he was going to have to hurry to get a chance to get him. Dave was probably safe -- even if he makes a great throw."
The Dodgers went ahead to stay in the seventh. Brian Jordan reached on a one-out double, advanced on a groundout and scored when Cesar Izturis singled after an intentional walk to Alex Cora.
D'Amico then bounced a pitch to Brown that ricocheted off catcher Jason Kendall's shin pad and to the left of the mound. Cora broke for the plate and was ruled safe after D'Amico's throw back to Kendall, leading to an argument between McClendon and umpire Gerry Davis.
Hot ace
Brown (3-1) defeated the Pirates for the fourth consecutive time, allowing a run and four hits. It was the second straight start in which he did not walk a batter.
"I thought we swung the bats pretty decent in the first four innings, but didn't get many hits to show for it," McClendon said. "But that's why Brown is their No. 1. The guy's tough. And when he gets the lead, he really smells it and turns it up a notch."
Eric Gagne finished for his 10th save in as many chances, allowing a run on Aramis Ramirez's fielder's choice grounder -- the first run off Gagne in 161/3 innings this season.
D'Amico, who shut out the Dodgers on a two-hitter last season with the New York Mets, was charged with three runs -- two earned -- and five hits in seven innings.