Kuhl, Pirates shut out Cubs in final home game

[September 25, 2020]  The Pittsburgh Pirates, in their final home game, hit a season-high four homers and Chad Kuhl pitched seven scoreless innings Thursday in a 7-0 win over the Chicago Cubs.

Josh Bell hit a two-run homer, and Adam Frazier, Colin Moran and Bryan Reynolds each hit a solo shot for Pittsburgh (18-39), which won the final three games of the four-game series against the Cubs (32-25).

Frazier also had an RBI single.

Kuhl (2-3) gave up two hits, with five strikeouts and three walks. He was perfect through three innings before giving up two walks in the fourth. His no-hit bid ended with Anthony Rizzo's one-out double in the sixth.

Geoff Hartlieb pitched the eighth and Blake Cederlind the ninth to preserve the shutout.

Chicago starter Alec Mills (5-5), two games removed from pitching a no-hitter, lasted 3 2/3 innings, giving up four runs and eight hits, with two strikeouts and one walk.

Moran got the homer parade going in the first with a two-out solo shot to center, his ninth.

In the second, Reynolds took his turn. He hit his sixth, a one-out homer to center to make it 2-0.

Leading off the third, Frazier homered to right, his seventh -- and second in as many days -- to make it 3-0.

Cubs starting pitcher Alec Mills (30) delivers a pitch against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the first inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

In the fourth, Reynolds opened with a single and went to second on Jared Oliva's infield base hit. J.T. Riddle singled, but Oliva was out when the ball hit him in the basepath. John Ryan Murphy's grounder moved the runners to second and third and chased Mills.

Against Kyle Ryan, Frazier singled to left to bring Reynolds home and increase the lead to 4-0.

After Kuhl struck out the side in order in the fifth, Pittsburgh added two more in the bottom of that inning to go up 6-0. Moran singled with one out and scored on Bell's eighth homer, a liner to left.

In the seventh, Ke'Bryan Hayes singled with one out and went to third on Moran's double. Bell received an intentional walk before Hayes scored on Gregory Polanco's sacrifice fly for a 7-0 Pirates lead.

--Field Level Media

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