Read More: Matt Kemp (CF – LOS), James Loney (1B – LOS), Chad Billingsley (P – LOS), Tim Lincecum (P – SFG), Brad Lincoln (P – PIT), Clayton Kershaw (P – LOS), Jerry Sands (LF – LOS), San Francisco Giants, Pittsburgh Pirates, Los Angeles Dodgers, Pittsburgh Pirates at Los Angeles Dodgers, Sep 18, 2011 1:10 PM PDT

The Los Angeles Dodgers put a hurting on the Pittsburgh Pirates all weekend, culminating in a 15-1 laugher on Sunday afternoon at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers matched their season high for runs scored on Sunday, all backing Chad Billingsley, who had a turnaround of sorts after a series of poor starts.

Matt Kemp hit his 34th home run of the season, and fell a triple short of the cycle. James Loney had his first career five-hit game, and rookie Jerry Sands had four hits of his own, including his first-ever home run at Dodger Stadium.

The Dodgers scored three runs in the first inning, then six more in the second, knocking out Pirates’ starter Brad Lincoln. Pittsburgh starters on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday combined to pitch just 7 2/3 innings. On Sunday, the Pirates matched a club record for most pitchers used in a game, with eight.

Billingsley allowed one run in five innings, striking out five, to pick up his 11th win of the season. At the plate, he singled, snapping an 0-for-25 skid while batting. All nine Dodgers starters got at least one hit on Sunday.

The Dodgers are off Monday, but welcome the Giants to town beginning Tuesday, when Clayton Kershaw and Tim Lincecum face off for the fourth time this season. The Dodgers have won the first three.

For a full recap of Sunday’s blowout, be sure to read True Blue LA.

PITTSBURGH — Pirates general manager Neal Huntington was given a three-year contract extension through the 2014 season on Sunday following a season for improvement for the chronically losing franchise.

The deal, announced Sunday, includes a team option for 2015.

Pittsburgh has finished with a losing record for 18 consecutive seasons, a record for major leagues in North America. But a year after going a big league-worst 57-105, the Pirates were 51-44 and led the NL Central by a half-game before play on July 20. A 10-game losing streak dashed their postseason hopes, and they began Sunday at 66-79, three losses short of ensuring another sub-.500 season.

The 42-year-old Huntington replaced Dave Littlefield on Sept. 25, 2007.

“Neal was hired to take on the difficult task of building an organization that can compete on a consistent basis,” Pirates chairman Bob Nutting said in a statement. “While there is still much work to be done, Neal and his staff have done an exceptional job of overhauling the scouting and development systems while building a strong foundation by aggressively acquiring talent through all possible avenues. We have begun to see that positive impact on the major league level this season and expect that improvement to continue as we execute our plan in building a winning organization.”

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Two weeks ago, the San Francisco Giants and the Pittsburgh Pirates were
division leaders. Both teams have been playing poorly, but the Giants have
managed to remain in first place and the Pirates are nowhere near it.

The Giants try to boost their record on a sagging homestand as they look to
hand the Pirates an 11th consecutive loss Monday night.

While San Francisco (63-52) has a half-game lead over Arizona atop the NL
West despite losing eight of 10, Pittsburgh – the Central leader as recently as
July 26 – has dropped 10 straight to fall 10 games behind division-leading
Milwaukee.

“It’s obviously not easy right now,” second baseman Neil Walker(notes) said. “…
Nobody likes the feeling that we have right now.”

The Pirates (54-59) may have a tough time halting their skid Monday,
considering they have lost seven of eight in San Francisco and will be facing
Ryan Vogelsong(notes) – second in the NL in ERA.

The Giants have gone 2-5 on their 10-game homestand but avoided a four-game
sweep to Philadelphia with Sunday’s 3-1 win over the NL East leaders.

“With the funk we’ve been in, you hope this is something to build on,”
winning pitcher Tim Lincecum(notes) said. “We don’t want to be content just winning one
here and there.”

San Francisco expects Carlos Beltran(notes) to be in the lineup even though he left
in the seventh inning Sunday with pain in the top of his right hand on a
swinging strikeout. Beltran, batting .268 with two RBIs in 10 games since being
acquired from the New York Mets, has hit .395 with 11 RBIs in his last 10 versus
Pittsburgh.

Fellow midseason acquisition Jeff Keppinger(notes) is 6 for 8 in his last two games
and will look to stay hot to back Vogelsong (9-1, 2.19 ERA), who will try to
beat his former team for the second time in as many tries.

Pitching at Pittsburgh on April 28 in his first start since 2004, Vogelsong
gave up two runs in 5 2-3 innings and matched a career high with eight
strikeouts in a 5-2 win for his first victory in the majors since Sept. 14,
2005.

Vogelsong was 10-19 with a 6.00 ERA from 2001-06 with Pittsburgh before
playing in the minors and in Japan.

The right-hander won for the third time in four games after holding Arizona
to a run and five hits in six innings of an 8-1 win Wednesday.

Walker was 3 for 3 against Vogelsong in April and enters this contest with
nine multihit efforts in his last 13 games.

His performance has made little difference to a Pittsburgh team mired in its
longest losing streak since a 12-game slide June 6-18, 2010.

The Pirates begin a six-game road trip after an 0-7 homestand – their worst
in 125 years – capped by Sunday’s 7-3 loss to San Diego.

Poor pitching has been a key to the Pirates’ losing streak. Starters have
posted an 8.39 ERA while failing to complete six innings in five games.

Charlie Morton(notes) (8-6, 3.80) got past the sixth for the first time in nine
starts Wednesday, lasting seven innings in Wednesday’s 1-0 loss to the Cubs, and
he goes back to the mound Monday.

He’s 5-2 with a 3.76 ERA in nine road starts this year, including 5-0 when
allowing four runs or less. The right-hander is looking for his first win in
four starts overall.

Morton didn’t get a decision in a 3-2 home loss to the Giants on April 26,
giving up one run in six innings during a series in which Pittsburgh lost two of
three games. He’s 1-3 with a 3.48 ERA in five career starts against San
Francisco.

Two weeks ago, the San Francisco Giants and the Pittsburgh Pirates were
division leaders. Both teams have been playing poorly, but the Giants have
managed to remain in first place and the Pirates are nowhere near it.

The Giants try to boost their record on a sagging homestand as they look to
hand the Pirates an 11th consecutive loss Monday night.

While San Francisco (63-52) has a half-game lead over Arizona atop the NL
West despite losing eight of 10, Pittsburgh – the Central leader as recently as
July 26 – has dropped 10 straight to fall 10 games behind division-leading
Milwaukee.

“It’s obviously not easy right now,” second baseman Neil Walker(notes) said. “…
Nobody likes the feeling that we have right now.”

The Pirates (54-59) may have a tough time halting their skid Monday,
considering they have lost seven of eight in San Francisco and will be facing
Ryan Vogelsong(notes) – second in the NL in ERA.

The Giants have gone 2-5 on their 10-game homestand but avoided a four-game
sweep to Philadelphia with Sunday’s 3-1 win over the NL East leaders.

“With the funk we’ve been in, you hope this is something to build on,”
winning pitcher Tim Lincecum(notes) said. “We don’t want to be content just winning one
here and there.”

San Francisco expects Carlos Beltran(notes) to be in the lineup even though he left
in the seventh inning Sunday with pain in the top of his right hand on a
swinging strikeout. Beltran, batting .268 with two RBIs in 10 games since being
acquired from the New York Mets, has hit .395 with 11 RBIs in his last 10 versus
Pittsburgh.

Fellow midseason acquisition Jeff Keppinger(notes) is 6 for 8 in his last two games
and will look to stay hot to back Vogelsong (9-1, 2.19 ERA), who will try to
beat his former team for the second time in as many tries.

Pitching at Pittsburgh on April 28 in his first start since 2004, Vogelsong
gave up two runs in 5 2-3 innings and matched a career high with eight
strikeouts in a 5-2 win for his first victory in the majors since Sept. 14,
2005.

Vogelsong was 10-19 with a 6.00 ERA from 2001-06 with Pittsburgh before
playing in the minors and in Japan.

The right-hander won for the third time in four games after holding Arizona
to a run and five hits in six innings of an 8-1 win Wednesday.

Walker was 3 for 3 against Vogelsong in April and enters this contest with
nine multihit efforts in his last 13 games.

His performance has made little difference to a Pittsburgh team mired in its
longest losing streak since a 12-game slide June 6-18, 2010.

The Pirates begin a six-game road trip after an 0-7 homestand – their worst
in 125 years – capped by Sunday’s 7-3 loss to San Diego.

Poor pitching has been a key to the Pirates’ losing streak. Starters have
posted an 8.39 ERA while failing to complete six innings in five games.

Charlie Morton(notes) (8-6, 3.80) got past the sixth for the first time in nine
starts Wednesday, lasting seven innings in Wednesday’s 1-0 loss to the Cubs, and
he goes back to the mound Monday.

He’s 5-2 with a 3.76 ERA in nine road starts this year, including 5-0 when
allowing four runs or less. The right-hander is looking for his first win in
four starts overall.

Morton didn’t get a decision in a 3-2 home loss to the Giants on April 26,
giving up one run in six innings during a series in which Pittsburgh lost two of
three games. He’s 1-3 with a 3.48 ERA in five career starts against San
Francisco.

Article updated: 5/26/2011 7:16 PM

By Bruce Miles

Cubs vs. Pittsburgh Pirates at Wrigley Field

TV: WGN Friday and Sunday; Comcast SportsNet Saturday

Radio: WGN 720-AM

Pitching matchups: The Cubs’ Doug Davis (0-2) vs. Kevin Correia (6-4) Friday at 1:20 p.m.; Randy Wells (1-0) vs. Paul Maholm (1-7) Saturday at 12:05 p.m.; Ryan Dempster (3-4) vs. Jeff Karstens (3-3) Sunday at 1:20 p.m.

At a glance: The Cubs opened the season against the Pirates at Wrigley Field and lost two of three. The Pirates opened Thursday a game-and-a-half ahead of the Cubs and in fourth place in the NL Central. Pittsburgh’s team ERA of 3.60 was seventh in the NL while the Cubs checked in last, at 4.69. Lefty Maholm is the league leader in losses. Expect to see Jeff Baker and Reed Johnson in the lineup against Maholm; they’ve hit him well. The Pirates are 13-12 on the road.

Next: Houston Astros at Wrigley Field, Monday-Wednesday