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PITTSBURGH -- Jeff Locke barely made the Pittsburgh Pirates starting rotation out of spring training, winning a battle with Kyle McPherson almost by default after McPherson struggled and a better option never materialized. "You know when you break camp as the No. 5 guy, if something happens or if someone starts off hot down below you might be the guy that gets moved," Locke said. "Its kind of pitching to survive." Something thats no longer an issue for him as the de facto ace for the injury ravaged Pirates. The 25-year-old, who looks a couple days removed from high school, allowed two hits over seven innings as the Pirates silenced the Los Angeles Dodgers 3-0 on Friday night. Locke struck out five and walked one while needing just 75 pitches to get 21 outs. Locke (6-1) barely resembled the guy who walked seven Chicago Cubs in his previous start, keeping the Dodgers off balance by working both sides of the plate and not being afraid of letting his defence do the rest as his ERA dropped to 2.19. "He came to pitch," Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle said. "Just very, very efficient. He made pitches the entire seven innings." Jason Grilli worked out of a two-on, no-out jam in the ninth for his National League-leading 24th save. Andrew McCutchen hit a two-run double in the third inning off Stephen Fife (1-2) and gave the Pirates some insurance when he scored on a sacrifice fly by Neil Walker in the ninth. The story, however, remains the soft-spoken left-hander from New Hampshire. Locke lost his first game of the year, a 6-2 defeat in Los Angeles on April 10. He hasnt been beaten since and appears to be growing stronger each time he takes the hill, a welcome development for a starting rotation in tatters. A.J. Burnett, Wandy Rodriguez, James McDonald and Jeanmar Gomez all are on the disabled list, leaving Locke and veteran Francisco Liriano as the top-end starters for one of baseballs biggest first-half surprises. If the spotlight is getting to Locke, it doesnt show. "I wouldnt say (my) comfort level has changed at all," Locke said. "Its still uncomfortable. The confidence is definitely there. Thats something Ive gained into spring training and Ive been able to carry it through the first half of the season so far." Los Angeles didnt get a runner to second base while Locke was in the game, but had chances late to tie the game. Pittsburgh reliever Mark Melancon struck out pinch-hitter Juan Uribe with runners in scoring position in the eighth. Yaisel Puig and Nick Punto hit consecutive singles off Grilli to start the ninth. Grilli then retired Adrian Gonzalez, Hanley Ramirez and Mark Ellis to remain a perfect 24 for 24 in save opportunities. "He threw eight pitches in that at-bat," Gonzalez said. "When I see eight pitches, I shouldnt strike out. I needed to put a ball in play and I should have. That was bad hitting on my part." Something thats going around for Los Angeles, which has dropped five of six and is now a season-low 10 games under .500 (28-38). The Dodgers played without manager Don Mattingly, who served a one-game suspension for his role in the brawl with Arizona earlier in the week. Bench coach Trey Hillman filled in and watched his team get handcuffed by a player who is making $497,500. The average salary on the Dodgers is nearly $10 million. "(Locke) commanded three pitches pretty well and he pitched in a lot," Hillman said. "The fastball and the changeup were good and he kept us honest with the breaking ball all night." McCutchen gave the Pirates all the offence they would need when he doubled to the corner in right field in the third, scoring Alex Presley and Russell Martin. Fife, making just his fourth start of the season, settled down and escaped without further damage when McCutchen was gunned down at home trying to score on a ground ball and Clint Barmes flew out to left with the bases loaded later in the inning. Fife gave up six hits in five innings, walking three and striking out four. "It was a battle the whole time I was in there," Fife said. "I just couldnt get that easy inning." That wasnt a problem for Locke, who felt fresh after heading to the dugout in the middle of the seventh. He didnt put up any fight to stay in the game, not with the one-two punch of Melancon and Grilli available. It almost backfired. Andre Ethier singled with one out in the eighth and Jerry Hairston Jr. doubled to the gap in left-centre one batter later. Ethier held up at third rather than try to score, and it cost the Dodgers when pinch-hitter Juan Uribe struck out. Pittsburgh added an insurance run when McCutchen singled leading off the bottom of the eighth and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Neil Walker. Grilli made it stand up against the meat of Los Angeles lineup. NOTES: Locke singled off Fife in the third to end an 0-for-30 skid dating to last season ... Dodgers catcher A.J. Ellis went 0 for 3 with 3 strikeouts in his return from the disabled list. He also threw out two would-be base stealers. Ellis missed 14 games with a strained oblique. To make room for Ellis, Los Angeles designated C Ramon Hernandez for assignment. Hernandez hit .208 with three homers and six RBIs in 17 games with the Dodgers ... The series continues on Saturday when rookie Brandon Cumpton makes his major league debut for the Pirates, replacing Burnett. Clayton Kershaw (5-4, 1.88 ERA) starts for Los Angeles ... Dodgers reliever J.P. Howell pitched two perfect innings in relief. Howell is appealing a two-game suspension for his role in the brawl with the Diamondbacks. 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"We know whos in charge," he said. SAN FRANCISCO -- The way the San Francisco Giants are going these days, even a solid outing from their four-time All-Star and staff ace wasnt much help.Jay Bruce homered in his career-high fifth straight game, connecting off Madison Bumgarner and leading Dan Straily and the Cincinnati Reds over the slumping Giants 2-1 on Wednesday.The NL West leaders got just four hits and lost for the ninth time in 11 games since the All-Star break. The last-place Reds are 8-4 over that stretch.This is the way the game goes sometimes, Bumgarner said. Especially right now with this tough stretch weve been in, things have gotten magnified. Its unfortunate but we just have to keep coming out and battle them.Bruce connected for his 25th homer of the season. His sixth home run during his five-game streak broke a 1-all tie in the seventh inning.Hes an ace in every sense of the word. When he gives you something to hit, youve got to do something with it, and I was able to do that today, Bruce said. He really made one mistake all day and I was able to hit a home run. You really have to be aggressive with him. Hes a strike-thrower, hes going to be around the plate and hes going to make you put the ball in play. I was able to put a good swing on the ball and not miss it.Bumgarner (10-6) allowed one earned run and five hits in eight innings, striking out nine.Its disappointing when you have Bum throw the ball the way he did today, Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. He gave up five hits and couldnt get a win. We just couldnt figure out Straily. We couldnt generate much offensively and its disappointing when you have your starter throw like that.We just couldnt get it going. Its a tough one, he said.The Giants have lost six of Bumgarners last eight starts. He hasnt had much run support of late, with the Giants scoring 10 runs in his last five games.Were trying to score as many runs for him as we can, Giants catcher Buster Posey said. It stinks and we have to find a way to get back on track.Straily (6-6) gave up three hits in 7 2/3 innings. He struck out five in his longest outing of the seasonn.dddddddddddd Straily improved to 2-0 in his career against Bumgarner.Definitely, you take pride in battling against the best in baseball, Straily said. Its no different than any other game, but when it happens on a day like today it makes it a little more special.Tony Cingrani pitched a scoreless ninth for his 12th save.Conor Gillaspie hit a solo homer for the Giants in the second.San Francisco left fielder Angel Pagan dropped a flyball in the fifth, setting up Tucker Barnharts tying sacrifice fly.The ball was hit hard, a tough play, Bochy said. I dont know if he lost it in the sun, He almost made a great catch, too.Pagan singled leading off the ninth but was forced out at second when shortstop Zack Cozart robbed Mac Williamson with a nice grab on a ball hit up the middle.If Williamsons ball gets in, its a different game, Bochy said. We would have had first and third there, but their shortstop made a great play on the ball.Joey Votto had two of the Reds six hits, extending his hitting streak to 12 games. Hes batting .500 (20 for 40) over that stretch.Brandon Belt was 0 for 2 with a walk, snapping his 11-game hitting streak against the Reds. He went into the game as a career .398 hitter vs. Cincinnati, including a .522 mark since the beginning of last season.YARD WORKThe Reds set an AT&T Park record with eight home runs in a three-game series (the Marlins hit eight in a four-game series in July 2010).TRAINERS ROOMGiants: INF Ramiro Pena, who left Tuesday nights game early with a groin injury after taking a bad hop, was a late scratch from Wednesdays lineup.UP NEXTReds: Off Thursday, then LHP Brandon Finnegan (5-8, 4.93 ERA) starts at San Diego. He has an 11.05 ERA over his last four outings.Giants: RHP Johnny Cueto (13-2, 2.53) will pitch Thursday in the opener of a four-game series against NL East-leading Washington. He is 7-3 with a 3.55 ERA in 11 career starts against the Nationals with a 16-inning scoreless streak dating to 2014. ' ' '