Pirates 5-3 Dodgers: September 4, 2025 Game Recap

The Pittsburgh Pirates just kept rolling, finishing off a wild three-game sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers with a 5-3 win Thursday night. Paul Skenes dazzled on the mound, while Tommy Pham and Nick Yorke came through with clutch hits, giving the Pirates a boost in the playoff hunt.

The Dodgers, meanwhile, just can’t shake their September funk. Their NL West lead shrunk again as pitching issues and cold bats continued to haunt them.

Paul Skenes Dominates Once Again

Paul Skenes looked every bit the ace, showing why hitters dread facing him. The 22-year-old righty tossed six innings of two-hit ball, struck out eight, and only walked one batter.

His fastball command and that nasty slider had the Dodgers lost at the plate. Skenes improved to 10-9, finally nudging his record above .500, and dropped his ERA to a league-best 1.98.

He’s now won six of his last seven starts. Pretty unreal for a rookie, honestly.

A Key Turning Point in the Game

The Pirates grabbed control early with patient at-bats and smart hitting. Tommy Pham got things started in the third, singling home Jared Triolo for the first run.

Then in the fifth, Nick Yorke ripped a two-run double into the gap, stretching the Pirates’ lead and sending a jolt through the dugout.

Dodgers Falter Behind Blake Snell

Blake Snell just didn’t have it. The Dodgers’ lefty, who’s won a Cy Young before, gave up five runs on nine hits in five innings.

That early hole proved too deep for L.A. to climb out of. Their rotation looks shakier by the day, with injuries and struggles piling up.

Ninth-Inning Rally Falls Short

The Dodgers tried to make it interesting late. Mookie Betts led off the ninth with a towering home run—number 27 for him this season.

Pedro Pages and Miguel Rojas each knocked in runs with singles, suddenly making it 5-3 and forcing Pirates manager Derek Shelton to call on Colin Holderman.

Holderman, lugging a rough 7.89 ERA into the night, handled the pressure. He closed out the win and notched his first save of the year—a big moment for a guy who’s had a rocky season.

The Pirates’ Hot Streak Shapes the Standings

Pittsburgh’s now won 12 of their last 16. That kind of run has turned them from also-rans into real playoff threats.

They’re heading into a huge home series against the division-leading Brewers, riding a wave of confidence.

Manager Derek Shelton applauded his squad’s grit, crediting better starting pitching and smarter at-bats for the turnaround.

Dodgers in Danger of Losing Their Grip

The Dodgers have now dropped five of six. Their NL West lead over the idle Padres is down to just two games.

What looked like a sure thing suddenly isn’t. With October looming, L.A. has to fix its pitching and get the bats going—fast—or risk coughing up the division to a rival on a heater.

Key Takeaways from the Series

There are a few big lessons and takeaways from this sweep:

• Paul Skenes is the real deal — He dominated one of baseball’s best lineups. That kind of performance screams “future ace.”
• The Pirates’ offense is clicking — Veterans and young guys are stepping up. They’re fueling this climb together.
• The Dodgers have work to do — Their rotation and bullpen both got exposed. That puts a ton of pressure on their offense now.
• Momentum matters — Pittsburgh’s recent run has given them real belief. That confidence could make them pretty dangerous down the stretch.

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