Kyle Hurt lives up to his name as Dodgers fall to the Pirates

PITTSBURGH — For most of Wednesday night at PNC Park, this looked like another comfortable Dodgers victory and another masterpiece authored by Shohei Ohtani.

Then Kyle Hurt took the mound.

And unfortunately for the Dodgers, Hurt lived up to his name.

What was shaping up to be a routine 6-1 win turned into a stunning 9-8 loss as the Pirates erased a five-run deficit and exposed a Dodgers bullpen that suddenly looks far less dependable than it did weeks ago.

The final score will show the Pirates scored eight runs over the final innings. The turning point, however, belonged to Hurt.

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Los Angeles Dodgers two-way player Shohei Ohtani (17) pitches against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the second inning at PNC Park.

The right-hander entered with the Dodgers clinging to a 6-3 lead after Ohtani exited in the seventh inning. Ohtani had done his job yet again, delivering 6⅔ innings while allowing four runs, only three earned, striking out six and lowering his season ERA to a still-ridiculous 1.06 through 11 starts.

For perspective, Ohtani's 1.06 ERA ranks as the seventh-best ERA through this point of a season in the Live Ball Era, which dates back to 1920.

And none of it mattered.

Hurt immediately struggled to find the strike zone. After issuing back-to-back walks to begin the eighth inning, warning signs were flashing everywhere. The Dodgers bullpen's command has been inconsistent lately, and Hurt's inability to attack hitters only amplified the problem.

Then came the mistake.

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Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Raphael Flores Jr. (43) and third baseman Nick Gonzales (3) greet right fielder Tyler Callihan (37) crossing home plate on a three run home run for his second home run of th…

After falling behind and finally throwing one over the plate, Hurt watched Tyler Callihan crush it into the seats for a go-ahead three-run homer.

Just like that, a 6-4 Dodgers lead became a 7-6 Pirates advantage.

Callihan's blast was his second home run of the night and capped a disastrous outing from Hurt, who has suddenly gone from one of the Dodgers' most reliable relievers to one searching for answers.

The numbers tell the story. Hurt's first 18 appearances this season: 2 earned runs allowed. Hurt's last four appearances: 7 earned runs allowed.

Baseball seasons are long, and every reliever eventually encounters turbulence. But what the Dodgers witnessed Wednesday wasn't merely bad luck. It was poor command, bad sequencing and an inability to stop momentum once it shifted.

The Pirates weren't done, either.

Jack Dreyer followed Hurt's collapse by surrendering a two-run homer to Spencer Horwitz, turning a one-run deficit into a three-run hole and completing a brutal five-run eighth inning for Pittsburgh.

The collapse overshadowed several standout performances.

Freddie Freeman continued climbing the record books with the 564th double of his career, moving within one of tying Carlos Beltrán for 28th all-time. Max Muncy remained red-hot, collecting an RBI double and continuing a stretch that has seen him hit over .500 over his last few games.

Kyle Tucker added an RBI single in the fourth inning as the Dodgers built an early 2-0 lead.

Then Ryan Ward appeared to put the game away in the sixth.

The rookie launched his first career grand slam, giving the Dodgers a commanding 6-1 advantage. Ward now has three home runs, five extra-base hits and 11 RBIs in just nine major league games after spending seven seasons in the organization and blasting 156 home runs in the minor leagues.

Everything was lined up perfectly for a Dodgers victory.

Ohtani was dominant. The offense produced. The bullpen had a five-run cushion. And yet the Dodgers still walked away empty-handed.

Even Ohtani's ninth-inning heroics weren't enough. His 12th home run of the season, a two-run shot that cut the deficit to 9-8, gave the Dodgers life and briefly threatened to erase the bullpen's mistakes. Instead, it served only as a reminder of what had been wasted.

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Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) hits a two run home run against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the ninth inning at PNC Park.

Another Ohtani start. Another game the Dodgers should have won. Another bullpen meltdown.

For a club with championship aspirations, losses happen. Bullpen collapses happen. But this one will sting.

Because for seven innings, the Dodgers had complete control.

And then Hurt, hurt them.