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4-run 5th helps Pirates rally past Padres
- Updated: August 10, 2016
PITTSBURGH — Chad Kuhl returned to Triple-A after his first stint in the big leagues for two reasons. First, there was no longer room in Pittsburgh’s rotation for a fifth starter. Second, he couldn’t get enough ground balls, the foundation of his Minor League success. But Kuhl got ground balls when he needed them Tuesday night, throwing six solid innings in the Pirates’ 6-4 win over the Padres at PNC Park.
With the win, the Pirates pulled within 2 1/2 games of the Marlins for the second National League Wild Card spot, tied with the Mets and trailing the Cardinals by 1 1/2 games.
Kuhl, recalled to make his fifth big league start, took the mound with a chance to claim a starting job for good. The rookie right-hander induced three double plays, including two that ended his last two innings, and held the Padres to two runs despite allowing five hits and four walks.
After being limited by a nagging left shoulder injury over the weekend, Pirates right fielder Gregory Polanco returned to the starting lineup and crushed a three-run homer to center field in the fifth inning. Francisco Cervelli doubled in a run to punctuate Pittsburgh’s four-run fifth against San Diego starter Luis Perdomo.
Spotted a two-run lead before he took the mound, Perdomo continued to put the ball on the ground but allowed nine hits and three walks over five innings. After Pittsburgh scored six unanswered runs off Perdomo, Wil Myers pulled San Diego within three with a seventh-inning homer off reliever Antonio Bastardo, his 22nd of the season. That forced the Pirates to call on closer Tony Watson, who gave up a solo homer to Jabari Blash, but still picked up his third save since taking over for Mark Melancon.
MOMENTS THAT MATTEREDCleaning up: Batting cleanup for the first time in his Major League career, Polanco ripped two well-hit outs to center field in his first two at-bats. When he came up in the fifth with two men on and one out, Polanco crushed an 0-2 fastball from Perdomo deep into the center-field stands. Polanco’s 16th homer of the season snapped a 2-2 …
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