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Dodgers vs Pirates — Dodgers Stumble in Pittsburgh — Ohtani’s 100th Dodger HR Isn’t Enough in 9–7 Loss to Pirates

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Dodgers fall 9–7 at Pittsburgh despite Shohei Ohtani’s 100th Dodger homer. Preview, recap, odds and Dodgers vs Pirates prediction for the series.

Quick Take

The Pittsburgh Pirates stunned the Los Angeles Dodgers 9–7 on Tuesday night at PNC Park — a game that featured Shohei Ohtani’s 100th home run as a Dodger but ended with a late Pittsburgh rally that spoiled LA’s night.

Why this game mattered

This wasn’t just one mid-season loss for the Dodgers — it was emblematic. Los Angeles arrived in Pittsburgh needing to start the club’s East Coast road trip on a positive note, and veteran presence like Clayton Kershaw was penciled in as the tone-setter for the series opener. Yet even with milestones and marquee names, the Dodgers’ inconsistency against lesser opponents has been a growing storyline — a trend analysts flagged coming into the trip. Those storylines collided in a high-scoring, chaotic affair that leaves both teams with different takeaways.

 

The recap — how the 9–7 game unfolded

Early punches from Pittsburgh. The Pirates set the early tone with timely hitting and quick offense — Tommy Pham and Jared Triolo chipped in with multi-RBI nights that helped Pittsburgh build separation. Carmen Mlodzinski and Andrew McCutchen both made key contributions in the middle innings as Pittsburgh kept the scoreboard ticking.

Ohtani’s milestone spoils none of the drama. Shohei Ohtani smashed his 100th home run as a Dodger — a mammoth 120-mph blast that electrified the Los Angeles dugout and highlighted his MVP-level season. It was a huge personal landmark, but baseball is a team game; the Dodgers couldn’t convert that momentum into a win.

Dodgers fight back, but the bullpen gets exposed. LA rallied with big hits of its own — Andy Pages and Will Smith produced run-scoring knocks, and the Dodgers clawed back multiple times. Still, late-inning pitching decisions and mismatches with opposing relievers allowed Pittsburgh to regain and keep the lead. The final line read Pirates 9, Dodgers 7.

You can watch game highlights and the defining plays (including Ohtani’s blast) in the MLB highlights package.

[Note: Images are collected from Instagram]

 

Key performances & moments

 

The bigger picture: Dodgers’ season trends vs Pittsburgh’s resilience

Los Angeles still boasts one of baseball’s deepest rosters — but recent analysis shows they’ve struggled to beat up on teams below .500 and have occasionally started series poorly, particularly on long road trips. That inconsistent starting cadence (losing opening games of series more often than expected) can cost a favored team valuable seeding and momentum late in the season. The Pittsburgh victory, meanwhile, underlines the Pirates’ ability to manufacture offense and take advantage of bullpen mismatches.

For the Dodgers, this loss is a reminder that star power alone will not close every game. For Pittsburgh, it’s validation that well-timed offense and opportunistic hitting can topple anyone on a given night.

In-depth tactical look — why the Dodgers lost (and where they can fix it)

  1. Bullpen matchups: The Dodgers relied on high-leverage arms that were less effective against Pittsburgh’s lefty-righty mix. Opposing hitters punished mistakes and forced LA to play catch-up. Fix: smarter matchup caching and quicker hooks for relievers losing the zone.
  2. Situational hitting inconsistencies: While Ohtani’s milestone highlighted raw power, situational hitting (sacrifices, productive outs) was spotty. The Dodgers recorded big hits but not the small-ball sequences to sustain a comeback.
  3. Starting rotation usage: Clayton Kershaw was expected to set a tone on the East Coast swing (and the Dodgers emphasized needing strong starts to avoid early series losses), but usage patterns and run support timing left the bullpen exposed. Better early innings would ease pressure later.

Dodgers vs Pirates prediction — what the numbers said (and what we expect next)

What the books and analysts thought before the game

Oddsmakers had favored the Dodgers across the series — LA carried the negative moneyline in many models — and expert picks leaned on veteran starters (Clayton Kershaw) to steady the ship. Betting previews and prediction columns suggested LA should take the opener if they started strong, though some outlets flagged Pittsburgh’s young arms and recent form as a danger.

After the opener: prediction for the rest of the series

  1. Short term (Game 2) — The series balance tilts toward the Dodgers on paper (depth, bats, experience). Expect LA to rebound with an aggressive lineup approach and a sharper bullpen plan. Prediction: Dodgers win Game 2 (probability ~60%), assuming the Dodgers re-exert starting-pitch dominance and force the Pirates to navigate LA’s depth.
  2. Series prediction — Over a short three-game slate on a road trip, streakiness matters. If the Dodgers fix matchups and the bullpen responds, they should take 2 of 3. However, if bullpen failures continue and Pittsburgh’s offense keeps squaring the ball, the Pirates can steal a series. Final series call: Dodgers win series 2–1, but with caveats about LA’s bullpen health and attention to starting innings.

 

What to watch in Games 2–3 (fan checklist)

Final take — a wake-up call for LA, a signature night for Pittsburgh

The Dodgers vs Pirates opener was an entertaining, high-octane affair that underscored two truths: baseball can be decided by timely offense and managerial matchup decisions, and even milestone nights (like Ohtani’s 100th Dodger HR) don’t guarantee victory. The Dodgers remain favorites for the short series and the season at large, but this road trip must begin with sharper starts and more dependable bullpen execution if LA wants to avoid dropping winnable series. For Pittsburgh, the win is a confidence booster — and a reminder that in MLB, depth and opportunism can topple the heavyweights on any night.

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