Tarik Skubal allowed three runs in the first inning Saturday, Aug. 22, then retired 18 of the final 19 batters he faced, striking out 11 as the Dodgers beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 4-3 at Dodger Stadium for their fifth consecutive victory.

The two-time American League Cy Young Award winner earned his first win in four starts since joining the club, generating 23 swings-and-misses over seven innings on 106 pitches. His final pitch to Jared Triolo in the seventh registered 99.5 mph. The sellout crowd gave him a standing ovation as he walked off the mound.

"He sort of went into bully mode from that third inning on," manager Dave Roberts told reporters after the series-clinching win, as reported by the Daily News.

Kyle Tucker broke an 0-for-26 slump at Dodger Stadium with a go-ahead, two-run single off reliever Yohan Ramirez in the fifth inning, scoring Mookie Betts and Max Muncy to put the Dodgers ahead 4-3 for good. Tucker, who signed a four-year, $240-million deal with the Dodgers, had been hitting .186 with a .552 OPS at home entering the game.

"I don't, like, keep up with the stats like that," Tucker said. "I'm just trying to go up there ... try and have a quality at-bat, whether it's working a long at-bat or drawing a walk, getting ahead or moving guys over."

The Dodgers also got an immediate contribution from Alek Thomas, recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City on Saturday after center fielder Andy Pages was placed on the injured list with a fractured left hand. Thomas singled off Pirates starter Jared Jones, a Whittier native, in the fourth inning for his first hit and first RBI as a Dodger.

Thomas spent 55 games in Oklahoma City after the Dodgers acquired him from the Arizona Diamondbacks in May. He said he was glad to finally be in Dodger blue after years of getting booed at Chavez Ravine as a visiting player.

"It's been a little while. So, I'm super glad to be back, and happy to help the team in any way, shape or form," Thomas said.

Teoscar Hernández also drove in a run in the fourth as the Dodgers chipped away at the early deficit created by Oneil Cruz's two-run triple in the first.

Relievers Evan Phillips, Jack Dreyer and Tanner Scott combined for two scoreless innings to close it out. Dreyer struck out Cruz looking with a runner on third to end the eighth, and Scott earned his 19th save.

The win improved the Dodgers to 79-51 and clinched the series against Pittsburgh (63-68). The Dodgers go for the sweep Sunday, Aug. 23, at Dodger Stadium.