Chad Kuhl’s portion of Saturday’s game ended with him having thrown only 75 pitches. He had not walked a batter, nor had he struck one out. He made, essentially, one mistake, on a low fastball that Miami Marlins first baseman Xavier Scruggs lined to left for a two-run home run. But Kuhl was due to lead off the bottom of the sixth. The Pirates, unable to touch Marlins starter David Phelps, required offense.
They wouldn’t get it. Phelps and the Marlins shut down the Pirates, 3-1, at PNC Park and took the first two games of the weekend series.