Philadelphia Phillies vs Pittsburgh Pirates Box Score on May 21, 2017

The Sports Xchange
May 21, 2017

PITTSBURGH -- Chad Kuhl of the Pittsburgh Pirates and Aaron Nola of the Philadelphia Phillies have dealt with their own set of issues this season, but both right-handed starters were outstanding on a grey, misty Sunday at PNC Park.

In a 1-0 Pirates victory, Kuhl, who has not won since April 8 and came into the game saddled with a 6.69 ERA, left with a no-decision but pitched five shutout innings, giving up one hit. He walked five and struck out two.

Nola, out with a strained back since April 20, yielded four hits in seven innings and the lone run of the game when he hit David Freese with the bases loaded in the sixth.

The Phillies went hitless against Kuhl before Maikel Franco doubled with one out in the fifth. The next hitter, Brock Stassi, worked Kuhl for an eight-pitch walk.

Kuhl got Andrew Knapp on a called third strike but needed 10 pitches to fan Nola to end the inning after starting out 0-2. Because of the extended at-bats, Kuhl threw 32 pitches. In his first four innings, he threw 50.

Nola, meanwhile, was nearly as effective through the first four innings, giving up singles to John Jaso in the second and Adam Frazier in the fourth but allowing no runner to reach second base.

Nola walked John Jaso leading off the fifth. Chris Stewart followed with a soft grounder to third, sending Jaso to second, and the Pirates had their first runner in scoring position. Gift Ngoepe grounded out, Jaso going to third. Pinch hitting for Kuhl with the go-ahead run 90 feet away, Jose Osuna flied out to end the inning.

The Pirates pushed across the game's only run in the bottom of the inning when Frazier and Josh Harrison singled, Bell drew the intentional pass and Nola hit Freese on the left arm.

Wade LeBlanc (3-0), Juan Nicasio, Felipe Rivero and Tony Watson preserved the shutout. Rivero struck out Aaron Altherr with two outs and two aboard in the eighth.

NOTES: Brock Stassi replaced 1B Tommy Joseph in the Phillies' starting lineup, a rest day for Joseph. ... With two hits, OF Adam Frazier is 16-for-35 (.457) since coming off the disabled list on May 12. He also walked. ... Pirates LHP Tony Watson is now 10 of 11 in save opportunities this season, 25 of 29 since taking over the closer role last August. ... The Phillies have now lost seven straight series.