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LOS ANGELES - Over the past two months, no major-league team has enjoyed more success in close games than the Pirates. However, their newfound penchant for making the most out of games that are close did not play out in a 5-2 loss to the Dodgers on Thursday night.

The Pirates had won five in a row. They were trying to sweep a three-game road series for the first time since May 2004.

Down 3-2 and with the tying run on third and only one down in the eighth, the Pirates could not pull even last night.

Ryan Doumit was called out on strikes by home plate umpire Greg Gibson. Doumit was then ejected for arguing, which prompted manager Jim Tracy to question what Pirates' hitters seemingly felt was a consistently frustrating strike zone.

Dodgers reliever Jonathan Broxton retired Ronny Paulino to end the inning and the Pirates' best threat.

Olmedo Saenz's two-run shot off rookie starter Shane Youman with one out in the first drove the Dodgers to a 2-0 lead.

The Pirates wasted a solid opportunity in the second when Los Angeles starter Chad Billingsley allowed a single to Jason Bay and a double to Xavier Nady. However, Billingsley escaped by sandwiching a fielder's choice by Paulino between strikeouts of Doumit and Jose Bautista.

After Jack Wilson reached on a fielder's choice and advanced to second on a wild pitch by Billingsley, Freddy Sanchez plated the Pirates' first run with a two-out single that scored Wilson in the third.

Sanchez went 2 for 4. He continues to lead the National League with a .347 batting average.

Sanchez, whose 190 hits lead the league, was 8 for 14 in the three-game series against Los Angeles. He was born in nearby Hollywood.

Bautista doubled to open the fifth and advanced to third when Marlon Anderson misplayed the ball's bounce off the light blue padding in foul territory of left field. Youman promptly laced his second single of the game into center field, which allowed Bautista to easily even the score, 2-2.

It was Youman's first career RBI.

The Pirates threatened to take the lead in the fifth, but Nady grounded into a fielder's choice with the bases loaded.

Youman recorded the first out of the Dodgers' fifth before walking Rafael Furcal. Kenny Lofton reached when a ball bounced off the glove of a diving Doumit at first base. The ball caromed into short right field, which allowed Furcal to reach third base.

At that point, Youman was lifted in favor of Josh Sharpless.

After striking out Saenz, Sharpless walked Jeff Kent to load the bases and then issued a free pass to J.D. Drew on four pitches that forced home Furcal for a 3-2 lead.

Youman was charged with allowing three earned runs over 4 1/3 innings. He allowed just three hits but also walked four Dodgers.

Los Angeles tacked on two insurance runs off relievers Brian Rogers and John Grabow in the eighth.

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