Pirates blank dodgers 3-0 behind rookie pitching staff

PITTSBURGH — This article originally appeared on PGHBaseballNOW.com.

The Pittsburgh Pirates shut out the Dodgers 3-0 on Wednesday, Sept. 3, logging their Major League-leading 17th shutout of 2025 behind rookies Braxton Ashcraft and Mike Burrows.

Now 41-30 at PNC Park with ten home games left, the Pirates (63-77) have clinched a winning record on their home turf for the first time since 2018.

Bryan Reynolds and Andrew McCutchen slugged solo home runs in the first and second innings, respectively, giving the Pirates a 2-0 lead. Los Angeles threatened in the top of the second, loading the bases with no outs and forcing Ashcraft to throw 37 pitches, but the 25-year-old rookie managed to keep them off the scoreboard.

Ashcraft loaded the bases again in the third inning, this time with two outs, but forced a groundout to wriggle out of the jam. Nevertheless, already at 71 pitches, his night ended early. Mike Burrows entered in relief, forcing Freddie Freeman into a double play in the fifth inning to erase a leadoff double from Shohei Ohtani and a subsequent Mookie Betts walk.

Click here to read more from PGHBaseballNOW.com.

Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW