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the Pittsburgh Pirates and Kansas Brandon Phillips Jersey City Royals plan on competing as if this was a playoff series, not an interleague matchup of also-rans.“A lot of life in the clubhouse. A lot of excitement (looking) toward the future,” the Pirates’ Josh Bell said after the teams went back and forth Monday. Pittsburgh tied it in the eighth inning and won it 7-6 on Jacob Stallings‘ walkoff RBI single.The second game of the three-game set is Tuesday at PNC Park.Article continues below ...The Pirates (75-74) moved above .500 with their third straight win. They have won four of five and nine of 12.Kansas City (52-98) lost its second straight but entered the series having won three of four, five of seven and 14 of 21.The status of Pirates No. 1 catcher Francisco Cervelli and infielder/outfielder Adam Frazier remains to be seen. Cervelli was a late lineup scratch Monday because of flu symptoms. Frazier left the game after fouling a ball off his right knee — but not before hitting a double in that at-bat.In the middle game Tuesday, Kansas City left-hander Eric Skoglund (1-5, 6.19) is scheduled to face Pittsburgh right-hander Jameson Taillon (13-9, 3.37).Skoglund is considered a candidate to make the Kansas City rotation next year. His challenge apparently is pitching well on the road, where he is winless in eight career appearances, including 0-2 with a 7.15 ERA in five outings, four of them starts, this year.He will be making his second start Luis Valbuena Jersey , third appearance since coming off the disabled list Sept. 4 because of a left UCL sprain.On Wednesday, Skoglund did not get a decision in the Royals’ 4-2 loss to the Chicago White Sox. He gave up two runs and two hits in five innings, with two walks.“It was exciting to be back out there with the guys,” Skoglund said. “It felt good. It’s something I can take into the next start and continue to work.”In that game, he was on a strict 70-pitch limit, and there was a good reason. He came within three of that and felt it.“The last inning I had good rhythm, but I was getting a little tired,” Skoglund said. “I did everything I could to get through that fifth.”Against Pittsburgh, he could have more stamina coming off the nearly four-month stint on the DL. His control hasn’t waned; he has given up two walks or fewer in 14 of his 15 career starts, nine of 10 this season.This will be Taillon’s career-high 30th start. In his past 19, he has given up three earned runs or fewer http://www.angelsfanproshop.com/authentic-chris-young-jersey , and he has made it at least into the sixth inning in 17 of his past 21 starts.“Last year, especially in the second half, I had some ups and downs — a lot of downs — and I think that kind of prepared me for this year,” Taillon said. “I wanted to be that guy to go out there and pitch deep into the game and give us a chance.”Wednesday, in a 4-3 win at St. Louis, he gave up two runs in seven-plus innings. That put him at 171 innings this season.“Especially the innings, that’s something that I’m proud of,” Taillon said. “I’m not done yet. I’d love to, after the year, look back and be extra proud of what I’ve done. For right now, it’s cool. I’ve thrown the most innings of my life Cam Bedrosian Jersey , and I feel strong.”Taillon has never faced the Royals. LOS ANGELES (AP) — Bruce Bochy seemed uncertain how to respond to the question.The Giants had just rallied for four runs with two outs in the ninth inning Monday night against the Los Angeles Dodgers‘ beleaguered bullpen for a 5-2 victory.And then someone asked San Francisco’s manager if he felt sorry for the Dodgers, whose bullpen lost its fourth consecutive game with closer Kenley Jansen on the disabled list.“Excuse me?” Bochy said.Then came the laughter.The Giants could afford to chuckle after pinch-hitter Nick Hundley drove in the tying and go-ahead runs with a single. San Francisco tacked on two more runs after that.“What a great comeback,” Bochy said. “We had some really great at-bats there in the ninth. Hundley, it doesn’t get any more clutch than that. He came through at the right time.“Great comeback on the road. It’s been a while since we have had one like that.”The Giants improved to .500, while the Dodgers fell one game behind the first-place Arizona Diamondbacks in the crowded NL West. San Francisco is just five games out of first.The ending was familiar for the Dodgers, who wasted a masterful performance by Clayton Kershaw. The left-hander held the Giants to one run in eight innings, allowing four hits, striking out nine and walking none.And then the bullpen threw it away.“They’re doing the best they can,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “They’re trying to make pitches. They’re in uncharted territory.”Kershaw turned the ninth over to Scott Alexander (2-1), part of the late-inning committee the Dodgers have used since Jansen went on the disabled list Thursday with an irregular heartbeat.The Giants loaded the bases with two outs before Hundley lined a two-run single to center.“Bases loaded, tying run at third http://www.angelsfanproshop.com/authentic-blake-wood-jersey , you are afforded the luxury of being aggressive in that spot based on his approach,” Hundley said. “Thankfully I got a good pitch to hit.”Ray Black (2-1) pitched a scoreless eighth for the Giants, and Will Smith worked the ninth to earn his ninth save in 11 opportunities.Kershaw blooped a double to score Los Angeles’ first run, and Justin Turner’s homer gave the Dodgers a brief 2-0 lead.NO RELIEFThe Dodgers have now lost four straight because they lack an obvious replacement for Jansen. Los Angeles was struggling to identify an eighth-inning set-up man and now has no closer.“It’ll turn,” Roberts said. “It’s been a tough four games, but we have to keep getting leads and putting teams away.”ANOTHER LEFTY DUELIt was the 11th time Kershaw and Madison Bumgarner have faced each other, the most of any two active pitchers. Bumgarner allowed two runs in six innings.“The guys did an unbelievable job coming back there,” Bumgarner said. “It was a good game on both sides. (Kershaw) was better than me tonight for sure, but we were better than they were. I think that is a good way to put it.”TRAINER’S ROOMGiants: SS Brandon Crawford left the game in the bottom of the fourth after colliding with OF Gorkys Herndandez on Kershaw’s bloop double. He appeared to take a knee to the head from Hernandez and is on concussion protocol. … 1B Brandon Belt (hyper extended right knee) made a second rehab start Monday, but it was uncertain whether he would rejoin the Giants in Los Angeles on Tuesday. … RHP Jeff Samardzija (right shoulder inflammation) threw a simulated game Monday. Bochy said he threw about 30 pitches.Dodgers: 2B Brian Dozier left the game after the eighth, complaining of dizziness. Roberts said Dozier had an abnormal EKG and was scheduled for additional tests. … John Axford Zack Greinke Jersey , one of the few relievers with closing experience, is headed for the disabled list. Roberts said Axford had a slight fracture atop his right fibula. “He’ll be down a couple, two or three weeks,” Roberts said.UP NEXTGiants: LHP Andrew Suarez (4-8, 4.64 ERA) is scheduled to start Tuesday. The rookie will attempt to overcome a recent downturn that has seen him go 1-3 with a 7.43 ERA in his last five starts.Dodgers: LHP Alex Wood (7-6, 3.58) is scheduled to come off the disabled list and make his first start since leaving his Aug. 3 outing with a sore hip. Wood missed only one start.