LDN - Sports

Pirates hand Dodgers' Kershaw 2nd loss of season

[June 27, 2016] PITTSBURGH -- Clayton Kershaw pitches a game like this only a few times a season. For some reason, an inordinate number of them occur against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The Dodgers ace lost for the first time in exactly two months, giving up David Freese's three-run double during a four-run Pittsburgh second inning that carried the suddenly hot 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 National League MVP and Cy Young Award winner.

Kershaw (11-2) gave up nine hits and four runs while striking out two and walking four in six innings. He lost for the first time since allowing five runs in seven innings against the Miami Marlins on April 26. The left-hander hadn't allowed more than two earned runs in his 10 starts since then.

"I wish I had an excuse, but I didn't pitch well enough to win," said Kershaw, who had been 9-0 with a 1.15 ERA since May 1.

The Pirates won for the third straight time in the four-game series that winds up Monday, and they kept the Dodgers winless in Pittsburgh since July 21, 2014.

"They did a pretty good job against the best pitcher in baseball," Turner said.

While the Pirates won, former NL MVP Andrew McCutchen -- hitting only .240 -- was ejected after throwing his bat down and yelling angrily at plate umpire Chris Conroy following a called third strike in the seventh inning.

"I got taken advantage of that last at-bat, I felt the bat was taken out of my hands," an uncommonly angry McCutchen said, agreeing his frustration extended over the entire season and not just one game. "It's one thing to let things slide, but honestly, I've let things slide my whole career. I don't want to feel like I'm being stepped over, I don't want to feel like I'm being taken advantage of.

"I felt like I had to take matters into my own hands and speak my piece."

Kuhl, not one of the Pirates' top prospects, yet 6-2 with a 2.38 ERA at Triple-A Indianapolis before being called up. He tossed five innings of three-run ball Sunday to record his first career win.

Before the game, Kuhl got plenty of texts from friends congratulating him on his major league debut, but also wishing he didn't have to face Kershaw.

"It definitely was an underlying message -- good luck against that guy," Kuhl said. "It's something really special, (and I) have a lot of respect for that guy. That's something to dream about, my debut was against Kershaw -- so that was incredible."

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 has dealt Kershaw two of his past three regular-season losses, also beating him 3-2 on Sept. 15, 2015. He hasn't defeated the Pirates since April 6, 2013, and he hasn't won at PNC Park since Aug. 15, 2012. He is 2-3 against Pittsburgh in 11 career starts.

Kershaw allowed more than two earned runs only once in his first 15 starts, but he 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 (who left with head and right ear discomfort in the first inning) and catcher Francisco Cervelli (on the disabled list after left hand surgery).

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Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw (22) delivers a pitch against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the first inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

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 in the top of the second to replace Mercer -- singled to drive in Harrison with his second career hit. Freese then cleared the bases with a long double to right, making it 4-0.

"The Freese hit is what killed me -- I missed my spot bad, and he made me pay," Kershaw said. (And) you've got to get the hitter ahead of him out, obviously."

Mercer singled to start the first -- extending his hitting streak to 11 games -- but he was hurt when Dodgers second baseman Chase Utley's knee accidentally clipped him as Mercer slid into second on a Freese grounder.

The Dodgers 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. However, Turner was thrown out at the plate for the third out of the inning while trying to score on a Kuhl pitch in the dirt that bounced away from the catcher.

Kuhl threw 81 pitches, 44 for strikes, allowing four hits while striking out five but walking four.

NOTES: Pirates C Chris Stewart is 9-for-17 in his career against Dodgers LHP Clayton Kershaw. ... Pittsburgh gave LHP Cory Luebke his conditional release Sunday after he refused an assignment to Triple-A Indianapolis. ... The Pirates brought up RHP Chad Kuhl from Indianapolis to start Sunday -- the second member of their 2013 draft class to debut during the series. OF Adam Frazier debuted Friday. ... Dodgers 1B Adrian Gonzalez, hitting .183 in June, didn't start Sunday. He grounded out as a pinch hitter. He likely won't face Pirates LHP Francisco Liriano on Monday. ... The Pirates started an all right-handed-hitting lineup against 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 Indianapolis to create a 25-man roster spot for Kuhl.

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