LOS ANGELES -- For years, manager Clint Hurdle has put in a request to general manager Neal Huntington. If possible, he wants three left-handers at his disposal in the Pirates' bullpen.
Huntington did him one better over the past few weeks, stocking Pittsburgh's 'pen with four lefties: closer Tony Watson, new setup man Felipe Rivero, reacquired southpaw Antonio Bastardo and multi-inning option Jeff Locke.
Why does Hurdle prefer a balanced bullpen? Look no further than the Pirates' 5-1 win over the Dodgers on Friday night.
Starter Ivan Nova left the game with a runner on second and one out in the sixth inning.