Dodgers unleash 15-hit attack in 11-1 victory against Pirates

Bryse Wilson said he “felt good.”

“Stuff felt good. Mechanics felt good,” the Pittsburgh Pirates’ starting pitcher said.

Unfortunately for Wilson and the Pirates, the Dodgers (20-8) felt better than good while pounding four pitchers with 15 hits – 10 for extra bases – in an 11-1 victory Tuesday night in front of a crowd of 11,583 at PNC Park.

The Pirates (12-17) have lost nine of their past 13 games.

“They just had a really good scouting report on me,” said Wilson, whose ERA ballooned from 3.79 to 5.82 after allowing six runs on eight hits in 2 2/3 innings. It was Wilson’s first start since April 21 after making his two previous appearances in relief.

“I didn’t execute a few pitches in the first inning and I think after that they put really good swings on really good pitches,” he said.

If you didn’t see the game, you might blame the loss on a Dodgers lineup that features three former MVPs – Freddie Freeman, Cody Bellinger and Mookie Betts. But those players were only 2 for 14.

The Pirates had more trouble with 37-year-old third baseman Justin Turner, who recorded three doubles and four RBIs after entering the game with a .168 batting average. No. 7 hitter Edwin Rios had three RBIs and three hits, including a home run.

Pirates relief pitcher Beau Sulser retired eight batters in a row at one point before allowing four hits in a row in the seventh inning. And they weren’t cheap. Max Muncy tripled ahead of doubles by Turner and Bellinger and Rios’ home run. Turner’s double left his bat at 106.8 mph.

“There are no free outs in their lineup,” Wilson said. “That’s what makes them so good. It’s tough to face, for sure.”

Wilson said the Dodgers made him pay for pitches in the middle of the zone.

“When you have good hitters like they do, they’re going to take advantage of it,” he said. “You do have to execute more pitches than not when you’re facing guys like that. A team like that they’re going to hit good pitches more than other teams are.”

While trying to focus on filling up the strike zone, Wilson appeared to lose command of his fastball.

“It looked like he kind of ran away from his fastball and was just kind of spraying it up on both sides (of the plate),” manager Derek Shelton said.

Meanwhile, Pirates bats that had produced 15 hits Monday night in a 5-1 victory against the Dodgers went silent, producing only four hits. The lone run scored on Yoshi Tsutsugo’s groundball forceout in the eighth inning. Overall, Dodgers pitchers issued seven walks, but none of them turned into a run.

Dodgers starting pitcher Tony Gonsolin walked four batters in his five innings, but surrendered only one hit and let only three balls leave the infield. The Dodgers’ 7-0 lead after three innings didn’t hurt Gonsolin’s cause.

“When you have a situation where you have a seven, eight-run lead,” Shelton said, “you give yourself some more leeway if you do leave the ball in the middle of the plate. It’s not life or death.”

The Pirates wasted an opportunity in the bottom of the first when leadoff hitter Ben Gamel walked and raced to third on Bryan Reynolds’ double. But Gamel was gunned down at home plate by Betts when Ke’Bryan Hayes flied out to right field.

“We tried to get a little too aggressive, especially with no outs,” Shelton said.

Nonetheless, the inning continued after designated hitter Daniel Vogelbach walked. Tsutsugo made Gonsolin work, but he struck out looking after fouling off seven of the 12 pitches he faced.