Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle was blunt in his sitdown with Ross Ohlendorf: throw the ball lower, throw strikes and do it now. Knowing his tendency to overthink things, Ohlendorf appreciated the simplicity. He got his first win of the season in seven starts and hit a three-run homer to help the Pirates beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-2 Thursday night, a loss that mathematically eliminated the bankrupt franchise from the NL West race.
