Sweep has Dodgers feeling like it's 1981

Sweeping the Pirates? Eh, no big deal.

Starting the year 6-1, which matches the World Series championship year of 1981, not to mention the birth of Fernandomania? Pretty big deal.

The Dodgers got all three runs in the opening inning and made them hold up, downing the Pirates, 3-2. The win gives them a three-game sweep, and also matches their best start since that magical '81 season.

The damage was all done in the first. Mark Ellis singled with one out, and Matt Kemp placed a double into left for two on. Andre Ethier was the NL leader in RBIs at this point, but he was plunked to load the bases. Hard to tell if there was intent there or not, but if there was, it didn't make a whole lot of sense to put three runners on so early.

Juan Rivera continued to deliver with a sac-fly RBI to make it 1-0. Two straight RBI singles came next from two struggling hitters. James Loney finally got hit #1 of the season, to which Kemp could be heard yelling to get him the ball. Funny stuff! Juan Uribe's came next, and the Dodgers had an early three-run cushion.

Chris Capuano took over from there, as he was looking to rebound from his self-implosion in San Diego. He worked around two singles in the first inning, then struck out the side in the second. He retired seven hitters in a row early on.

In the fifth, the Pirates got a run on Mike McKenry's solo shot to dead center, a clear no-doubter, making it 3-1. The Dodgers put two runners on but came up with blanks, as they did the previous inning.

The Pirates got another run in the sixth, but really blew a chance to do a lot more. Andre McCutchen got three hits and reached base safely four times, and his single started it. Casey McGhee had two hits, one of them here with a single. Yamaico Navarro's sac-fly RBI made it 3-2.

That was all she wrote for Capuano, as Mike MacDougal came in and immediately gave up a single to Clint Barmes. Following a fielder's choice by Pedro Alvarez, McKenry walked to load 'em up. Garrett Jones was called on to pinch-hit, so Don Mattingly countered with Scott Elbert... only to have Clint Hurdle counter with Matt Hague. It didn't matter, as Hague's lineout to center ended it.

With the offense already in bed, the bullpen took over and turned the lights out for good. Josh Lindblom got help from a double play ball and A.J. Ellis's strong throw to catch McCutchen stealing in the seventh. Matt Guerrier tossed a flawless eighth.

The question then became whether Mattingly would use Javy Guerra again, and he did. Guerra needed a mere 11 pitches to set the Pirates down in order for his fifth save, tops in all of baseball.

The early runs almost turned out to be a curse, because the Dodgers ended up stranding seven runners, four of those with two outs and in scoring position. They got runners on, yet the clutch hits stopped. Fortunately, they were playing the lowly Bucs, so it barely made a difference.

Capuano righted the ship with his strong outing, going 5 1/3 innings for six hits, two runs, no walks, and seven strikeouts. He was able to pound the inside corner against righties, freezing them time and time again. The no walks was obviously the big thing, especially since he walked five Padres. In fact, Dodger pitching had 2 walks and 27 strikeouts this series. Wow.

This year has started about as well as anyone could have hoped for. The opponents have been easy, though. That doesn't automatically guarantee wins, but it's good to see the Dodgers take care of business. There's been no letdown thus far.

Yes, the Dodgers will run into a rough patch at some point, just as every team does. They don't have a whole lot of thump in their lineup, save for Kemp and maybe Ethier. So, they'll have nights they'll need the big hit, but won't get it.

What has been and should remain solid, however, is the pitching. Their team ERA is 2.67, fourth in the NL (the Pirates are third, which shows just how bad their hitting has been). They're third in strikeouts at 63, and tops in saves at 5 thanks to Guerra. Getting Ted Lilly back should only help those numbers, too.

If there's a reason to get greed and want more wins, it's that the Padres are coming to town for three. The Padres, well, stink at 2-6. No surprise there. But they do have Clayton Richard going, who shut down the Dodgers last Sunday. The Dodgers will counter with Aaron Harang, who took the loss that day after scuffling the whole time.