The Los Angeles Dodgers erased a three-run deficit and held on for a 4-3 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday, August 22, at Dodger Stadium. Tarik Skubal dealt seven strong innings, fanning 11 batters, while a late-game surge off Pittsburgh's bullpen provided the margin. Tanner Scott slammed the door in the ninth for the save. This was a full comeback — down three, one run to spare at the final out.

Tarik Skubal Dominates but Absorbs Three Runs in Seven Innings

Skubal was the story on the mound. Seven innings pitched, 11 strikeouts, one walk, five hits, and three earned runs allowed. The win goes to Skubal — a well-earned one — but the three runs he surrendered put the Dodgers in a hole that required their full offense and a sharply managed bullpen to escape.

Give the Pittsburgh lineup some credit: Skubal is not easy to square up, and the Pirates managed enough contact early to build that lead. Esmerlyn Valdez was Pittsburgh's most productive bat on the night, going 2-for-3. The Pirates' offense did its job through the first several frames. The problem was their bullpen.

Pittsburgh's Bullpen Opens the Door, Dodgers Walk Through

Jared Jones started for Pittsburgh and went four innings, allowing two earned runs on three hits and five walks while striking out five. That control trouble kept the Dodgers alive early. Then Yohan Ramírez entered and gave it away entirely — two earned runs on two hits in a single inning, which proved to be the decisive blow. Ramírez took the loss.

Los Angeles clawed back run by run off a Pittsburgh relief corps that couldn't protect a three-run cushion. The source data does not identify the specific batters responsible for the tying and go-ahead RBIs beyond confirming that Max Muncy went 3-for-3 with zero RBIs — meaning the runs came from other Dodgers batters whose individual RBI lines are not available in the box score data. That is the kind of opportunity a lineup needs to capitalize on, and the Dodgers did exactly that.

Max Muncy Leads the Offense With Three Hits

Max Muncy was the standout bat for Los Angeles, going a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate. He didn't drive in a run or leave the yard, but three clean hits in three at-bats against a major-league pitching staff is production that sets a table. His on-base presence throughout the night kept innings alive during the comeback.

Evan Phillips, Jack Dreyer, and Tanner Scott Hold the Line

After Skubal exited, the Dodgers needed their bullpen to be sharp. They were.

  • Evan Phillips: 0.2 IP, 2 K, 0 ER, 1 H
  • Jack Dreyer: 0.1 IP, 1 K, 0 ER, 0 H
  • Tanner Scott: 1.0 IP, 1 K, 0 ER, 0 H — save

Phillips and Dreyer bridged the gap cleanly, and Scott was unhittable in the ninth — no hits, no walks, one strikeout, game over. That is exactly how you protect a one-run lead in a tight August game. The back-end relief work matched the moment.

Turning Point: The Yohan Ramírez Inning

The game turned in the fifth inning when Ramírez entered in relief of Jones. Two hits, two earned runs, one inning — and suddenly a three-run Pittsburgh lead was a one-run game. That inning changed the entire complexion of Saturday night at Dodger Stadium. Once the Dodgers got within one, the crowd was back in it, and the momentum never returned to Pittsburgh.

What's Next for the Dodgers

Los Angeles continues its series against the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Dodgers will look to build on Saturday's result when the teams meet again. Skubal's start gives the rotation solid footing heading into the next few days, and the bullpen's clean work in the final three innings provides a reliable late-game foundation to lean on.