Pirates squander big lead as losing skid stretches to 8

LOS ANGELES — Max Muncy singled home the tying run in the fifth inning and the go-ahead run in the seventh, boosting the Los Angeles Dodgers over the Pittsburgh Pirates, 7-6, on Sunday for a three-game sweep.

The Pirates’ Melky Cabrera had four hits, including first multihomer game since July 2015 and the fifth of his career. The Pirates have lost eight consecutive games and 14 of their last 16 against the Dodgers.

The Dodgers’ Rich Hill made his season debut after recovering from a sprained right knee and allowed five runs — one earned — and five hits in six innings. Hill struck out six, walked none and retired his last 13 batters as the Dodgers rallied from a 5-1 deficit.

Pirates starter Trevor Williams gave up five runs and eight hits over six innings.

Cody Bellinger hit his 14th homer, matching Albert Pujols (2006), Alex Rodriguez (2007) and Christian Yelich (this year) for the most home runs before the end of the season’s first full month. Bellinger had three RBIs and leads the major leagues with a .427 average and 36 RBIs. Bellinger’s 44 hits are a Dodgers record before May, one more than Rafael Furcal in 2008.

“Whether it’s a lefty or a righty, there is a time to get big and try to go for the big homer, or really drive the baseball, and there is a time to go for another club,” manager Dave Roberts said. “And right now, Cody has different clubs to use.”

Los Angeles has won four straight overall and seven in a row at home, improving to an NL-best 19-11.

Julio Urías (2-1) allowed one run in two innings, and Kenley Jansen pitched in and out of trouble in the ninth for his 10th save in 11 chances. Adam Frazier walked with two outs, and Cabrera doubled, but Gregory Polanco struck out.

A day after getting the Pirates’ attention when he bumped into catcher Francisco Cervelli when scoring a run, Muncy had three hits.

Bellinger’s fourth-inning homer started the comeback.

“I made one bad pitch to Bellinger today, and he hit it out of the yard,” Williams said.

Corey Seager hit a two-run double in the fifth and scored the tying run on Muncy’s single.

Muncy singled over the outstretched glove of shortstop Cole Tucker against Richard Rodríguez (0-2) in the seventh, and Bellinger greeted left-hander Francisco Liriano with an RBI single for a 7-5 lead.

Josh Bell had a run-scoring single against Urías in the eighth.