Dodgers drub skidding Pirates

Associated Press

PITTSBURGH

Chad Billingsley pitched eight dominant innings and the Los Angeles Dodgers matched their highest-scoring game of the season, routing the Pittsburgh Pirates 11-0 Tuesday night.

The Dodgers have won five of six, pushing them to the top of the NL West. Pittsburgh has lost five of six.

Luis Cruz tied career highs for hits and RBIs with three each. Hanley Ramirez added three hits, two RBIs and two runs as Los Angeles beat the Pirates for the eighth straight time dating to last season.

Billingsley (9-9) won his fifth consecutive start, allowing five hits and one walk. He improved to 7-1 in his career against the Pirates.

Kevin Correia (9-7) had won seven straight decisions, tied for the longest active streak in the majors.

Billingsley waited out a 55-minute delay at the beginning, then struck out five and improved to 5-0 with a 1.56 ERA in five starts since a July stint on the disabled list due to elbow inflammation.

He had lost all five of his previous outings before going on the DL.

Shawn Tolleson worked a perfect ninth to preserve the Dodgers’ seventh shutout of the season. The Pirates have been blanked 10 times.

Auditioning for a permanent spot in the starting rotation during the stretch drive, Correia gave up five earned runs and seven hits in six innings. Only four hits off Correia left the infield.

Shane Victorino had an RBI grounder in the third, and the Dodgers loaded the bases without hitting a ball to the outfield to begin a three-run fourth.

Infield singles by Matt Kemp and Ramirez sandwiched Andre Ethier reaching on an error by Pirates second baseman Neil Walker put Los Angeles in position.

Kemp scored on James Loney’s groundout, and Ethier and Ramirez were driven in by a line-drive single by Cruz — the only ball of the inning to leave the infield.

The Dodgers added two runs in the sixth when Ramirez, Loney and Cruz hit consecutive singles and A.J. Ellis followed with a sacrifice fly.

Before the game, Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said that he would go with a five-man rotation after the team’s next off day Aug. 23.

Correia was removed from the rotation after the team acquired Wandy Rodriguez July 24 despite the fact Correia won his fifth consecutive start the following day.