Jun 24, 2016; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Chad Kuhl (39) delivers a pitch against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the first inning at PNC Park. Photo Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
PITTSBURGH — Los Angeles Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw lost for the first time in two months, giving up David Freese’s three-run double during a four-run Pittsburgh second inning that carried the Pirates past Los Angeles 4-3 Sunday night.
Justin Turner drove in all three Dodgers runs with a two-run homer and an RBI double against Pirates right-hander Chad Kuhl (1-0), who was making his major league debut, but it wasn’t enough to support Kershaw in a rare uneven start by the former NL MVP and Cy Young Award winner.
Kershaw (11-2) lost for the first time since allowing five runs in seven innings against Miami on April 26 — giving up nine hits and four runs, striking out two and walking four in six innings. The left-hander hadn’t allowed more than two earned runs in his 10 starts since then.
The Pirates won for the third straight time in the four-game series that winds up Monday, and kept the Dodgers winless in Pittsburgh since July 21, 2014.
Kuhl, not one of the Pirates’ top prospects, yet 6-2 with a 2.38 ERA at Triple-A Indianapolis before being called up, lasted five innings for his first career win.
The Pirates bullpen followed with four scoreless and hitless innings, with demoted starter Juan Nicasio working the sixth, A.J. Schugel retiring all six batters he faced in the seventh and eighth and Mark Melancon finishing up for his 22nd save.
Pittsburgh now has dealt Kershaw two of his last three regular season losses, also beating him in September. He hasn’t beaten the Pirates since April 6, 2013, or won at PNC Park since Aug. 15, 2012, going 2-3 against them in 11 career starts.
Kershaw allowed more than two earned runs only once in his first 15 starts, but gave up four runs in the second inning to a Pirates lineup that was missing right fielder Gregory Polanco (left leg discomfort), shortstop Jordy Mercer (injured in first) and catcher Francisco Cervelli (disabled list).
Josh Harrison and Chris Stewart singled with one out — giving Stewart eight hits in his first 15 at-bats against Kershaw — and Sean Rodriguez walked to load the bases. After Kuhl struck out, rookie Adam Frazier — who entered the game in the top of the second — singled to drive in Harrison. Freese then cleared the bases with a long double to right, making it 4-0.
Previously, Mercer singled to start the first — extending his hitting streak to 11 games — but injured his head and right ear when Dodgers second baseman Chase Utley’s knee accidentally clipped him as Mercer slid into second on Freese’s grounder.
The Dodgers, who dropped the first two games of the series after coming in with nine wins in 10 games, got two runs back in the third against Kuhl when Corey Seager doubled ahead of Turner’s 11th homer, a drive into the front row of the left field bleachers.
Turner made it 4-3 when he doubled following Seager’s one-out walk in the fifth. But Turner was thrown out at the plate for the third out of the inning trying to score on a Kuhl pitch in the dirt that bounced away from catcher Stewart.
Kuhl threw 81 pitches, 44 for strikes, in his major league debut, allowing three runs and four hits, striking out five but walking four.
NOTES: Pittsburgh gave LHP Cory Luebke his conditional release Sunday after he refused his assignment to Triple-A Indianapolis. … The Pirates brought up RHP Chad Kuhl from Triple-A Indianapolis to start against the Dodgers on Sunday — the second member of their 2013 draft class to debut during the series. OF Adam Frazier debuted on Friday. … Dodgers 1B Adrian Gonzalez, hitting .183 in June, didn’t start Sunday and likely won’t face Pirates LHP Francisco Liriano on Monday. … The Pirates started an all right-handed hitting lineup against Dodgers starter LHP Clayton Kershaw. … Pirates RHP Gerrit Cole (triceps), still on the disabled lost despite being eligible to come off Sunday, is throwing off a mound again and will throw some bullpen sessions during the upcoming West Coast road trip. … The Pirates optioned LHP Kyle Lobstein (2-0, 3.96 ERA) to Triple-A Indianapolis to create a 25-man roster spot for Kuhl.
