Blake Snell dominated through six innings, the bullpen was immaculate the rest of the way, and the Los Angeles Dodgers shut out the Pittsburgh Pirates 4-0 at Dodger Stadium on Sunday, August 23. Snell allowed just two hits and no earned runs across six frames, striking out six while walking three, as Los Angeles rolled to a clean victory. Freddie Freeman led the offense with a 2-for-4 afternoon at the plate. The Dodgers took this one from wire to wire.

Blake Snell Shuts Down Pittsburgh Over Six Innings

Snell was the story. The left-hander worked through six innings against a Pirates lineup that never truly threatened, surrendering only two hits and issuing three walks — the walks were the lone blemish on an otherwise controlled outing. Six strikeouts. Zero runs. That is a starting pitcher doing exactly what a team needs him to do, and Snell earned the win.

Pittsburgh's Lake Bachar took the loss after surrendering one earned run on one hit while walking three batters across two innings. Carmen Mlodzinski came on in relief and allowed three earned runs on five hits over three innings, giving up the bulk of the damage. Khristian Curtis threw three clean innings to close out the game for the Pirates, but the deficit was already insurmountable by then.

Dodgers Bullpen Combines for Nine Outs Without Allowing a Run

Once Snell exited, three Dodgers relievers took over and kept Pittsburgh completely off the board. Here is how the back end of the staff performed:

  • Edgardo Henriquez: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 2 K, 0 BB
  • Brock Stewart: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 1 K, 0 BB
  • Alex Vesia: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 1 K, 1 BB

Three pitchers. Three innings. Ten combined strikeouts on the day between Snell and the relief corps. The Pirates finished the game with zero runs on two hits. That is a complete team pitching effort, and it shows up clearly in the box score.

Freddie Freeman Paces the Dodgers Offense

On the offensive side, Freddie Freeman went 2-for-4, providing the most notable production among the verified Dodgers hitters. The four-run margin came without a Freeman home run or RBI in the box score highlights, meaning the offense spread the run production across multiple contributors against Pittsburgh's pitching staff.

Mlodzinski gave up five hits and three earned runs across his three innings of work, which is where Los Angeles did the most offensive damage. The Dodgers capitalized when the Pirates turned to their second pitcher of the game, and that middle-inning stretch proved decisive.

Turning Point: The Middle Innings Against Mlodzinski

The game effectively ended in the middle frames. With Bachar walking three batters and struggling to find the zone across two innings, the Dodgers created pressure early. When Mlodzinski entered and allowed five hits and three earned runs across innings three through five, the 4-0 lead was established. After that, Snell and the bullpen made it hold up without drama.

What Is Next for the Dodgers

Los Angeles picks up a shutout victory and moves forward in the 2026 regular season. Snell's performance gives the rotation a quality starting pitching result to build on. The bullpen's combined shutout work — Henriquez, Stewart, and Vesia each delivering a clean inning — adds depth to the back end of the staff. The Dodgers take the win and prepare for their next series.