Snell's Strong Return Continues

Blake Snell delivered his finest outing since returning from elbow surgery, throwing six scoreless innings as the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 4-0 on Sunday to complete a three-game sweep and stretch their winning streak to six games. Snell, who allowed two hits and three walks while striking out six, has now won consecutive starts, and the Dodgers have won all three of his August appearances since he missed three months due to a procedure to remove loose bodies from his left elbow.

Snell's performance was a continuation of a strong comeback. Since returning from the injured list on Aug. 11, he has pitched six innings in each of his three starts, allowing just two earned runs total. On Sunday, he threw 94 pitches, his longest outing since returning, and ended his day with a 97 mph fastball for his sixth strikeout.

Despite the scoreless outing, Snell was not entirely satisfied with his performance. He expressed displeasure with his three walks, calling them "lazy" and saying, "I just gotta be better." His self-criticism came amid his excitement about the Dodgers' rotation, which will soon welcome back Tyler Glasnow and potentially Shohei Ohtani.

Bottom of the Order Provides the Spark

The Dodgers' offense did not need much on Sunday, but the bottom of the lineup delivered when it mattered. Alek Thomas and Hunter Feduccia, both filling in for injured starters, had back-to-back RBI singles in the fourth inning to extend the lead. Max Muncy added a run-scoring groundout in the fifth inning.

Thomas, acquired from Arizona in May, was playing just his second game with the Dodgers after Andy Pages fractured his left hand on a hit by pitch Friday. Feduccia, who returned to the Dodgers in a trade-deadline deal, drove in his second run of his current stint as he continues to cover for Will Smith, who is recovering from a neck injury.

Shohei Ohtani set the tone in the first inning, drawing an 11-pitch leadoff walk after falling behind 0-2, then stealing second and scoring on Mookie Betts' double-play groundout. Manager Dave Roberts praised Ohtani's at-bat, saying, "I love going 0-2 to 4-2, spoiling the pitches and working the count."

Kyle Tucker, who had struggled at home, had a walk, a single, and a run scored in the game. The Los Angeles Times noted that Tucker had been hitting .189 at Dodger Stadium and had gone 0 for 19 in his last homestand, but he helped spark the offense on Sunday.

Pirates' Road Woes Continue

The Pirates' struggles on the road continued, as they lost their eighth of nine away games. Lake Bachar started a bullpen game for Pittsburgh and allowed one run in two innings, while Carmen Mlodzinski gave up three runs in three innings. Pittsburgh managed only two runners in scoring position all afternoon.

The Pirates (63-68) have lost the first two games of the series: 5-4 in 10 innings Friday and 4-3 Saturday. They are 7 1/2 games out of the final Wild Card spot. Entering Sunday's game, they were 30-42 against teams with at least a .500 record.

Dodgers' Recent Turnaround

The Dodgers' winning streak is their second six-game streak of the season, tying a season high. Before this run, they had lost 11 of their past 16 games, prompting manager Dave Roberts to call out the team for inconsistent play, a move the Los Angeles Times and other outlets credit with sparking a bounce-back. The Dodgers have won 10 of 13 games since Aug. 10.

With the win, the Dodgers (80-51) became the second team in the majors to reach 80 wins, joining Milwaukee. They lead the NL West by nine games.

The Dodgers' starting trio of Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tarik Skubal, and Blake Snell combined for 26 strikeouts, five walks, and five earned runs in 19 innings over the weekend series. Edgardo Henriquez, Brock Stewart, and Alex Vesia each threw scoreless innings in relief to cap the shutout.

Looking Ahead

The Dodgers' rotation is poised to get even stronger. Tyler Glasnow (3-0, 2.72 ERA) is scheduled to return from a back injury Tuesday at Atlanta, his first start since May 6 due to back spasms. Snell said he is excited about the rotation's potential, noting Glasnow's impending return and Ohtani's progress.

Ohtani, who threw 30 pitches in live batting practice Saturday, his first time facing hitters since July 3, could return to pitching as soon as the first week of September, according to Roberts. Snell said the prospect of adding Ohtani and Glasnow to an already strong group will create "a lot of good competition within the starting rotation."

For the Pirates, Braxton Ashcraft (13-5, 3.68 ERA) is scheduled to start Monday at San Diego.