Dodgers Lose Consecutive Games to Pirates Amid Scoring Struggles

The Los Angeles Dodgers continue to struggle in their pursuit of the National League West title, displaying inconsistent performances against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. Despite being ahead in the division and facing an injury-ravaged Padres team, the Dodgers have dropped four of their last five games, including a 9-7 loss to the Pirates. The Dodgers' pitching and offense have both faltered at critical moments; Clayton Kershaw, making his 450th regular-season appearance, struggled early by allowing four runs due to control issues but then settled down, while the offense failed to capitalize on scoring opportunities. Shohei Ohtani contributed offensively with a home run, but the team could not overcome the Pirates' timely rallies in the first and sixth innings. The Dodgers' recent performance has been marked by a failure to sustain momentum and capitalize on opponents' weaknesses, leaving their division lead precarious as the season nears its end.