PITTSBURGH _ If the Pirates make headway in this series, they can look back and thank Gregory Polanco, who lowered his shoulder and got the wheels turning Monday night.
Polanco had four hits, drove in two runs and saved another in the field during the Pirates' 4-2 victory against the Milwaukee Brewers at PNC Park. The Pirates (45-48) won for the eighth time in 10 games and reduced the Brewers' lead on them in the NL Central to six games.
Polanco singled in the third and drove in a run with a double in the fifth. He prevented the go-ahead run by throwing out Manny Pina at the plate to end the top of the sixth and generated the go-ahead run in the bottom half with another RBI double. He singled and scored the final Pirates' run in the eighth. All four hits came with a lefty on the mound.
Chad Kuhl allowed single runs in the second and fourth innings. His wild pitch exacerbated matters in the second, allowing Travis Shaw to move into scoring position and later score on Orlando Arcia's single. Kuhl caused more problems in the fourth, but limited the damage.
Shaw hit a leadoff double. After a fly ball moved him to third, the Pirates brought their infield in. It worked _ Stephen Vogt hit a grounder directly at Josh Bell. Bell has made nice strides defensively in the years since the Pirates moved him from outfield to first base; the one area of weakness that still surfaces from time to time is his arm, as he adjusts to a shorter motion better suited for shorter infield throws. He had plenty of time to retire Shaw at the plate, but his throw was high.
Kuhl walked Brett Phillips and hit Brent Suter to load the bases. While the Brewers checked on their starting pitcher, pitching coach Ray Searage checked on Kuhl, who proceeded to strike out Jonathan Villar and end the inning.
The Pirates tied the score in the fifth and could have had more. Jose Osuna singled and scored on Polanco's double. Jordy Mercer's sacrifice fly brought in Polanco from third, where he reached after a throwing error on his double, and Kuhl turned over the lineup with a single to left.
Josh Harrison and Francisco Cervelli singled. Had third-base coach Joey Cora held Kuhl on Cervelli's soft ground ball through the hole on the right side, the bases would have been loaded for Andrew McCutchen. Instead he sent Kuhl, whose left arm collided with Vogt's head as Vogt made the tag.
Both men lay in the dirt near home plate. Kuhl rose quickly and went to the dugout. Vogt eventually did too, and left the field with the help of medical personnel, who later evaluated him for strains of his neck and left knee.
Manager Clint Hurdle did not challenge the call to see if Vogt violated the home-plate collision rule. McCutchen, now batting with two outs and a base open, was intentionally walked, and David Freese struck out looking.
Kuhl returned to the mound for the sixth but would not finish it. Daniel Hudson inherited runners on first and second with two outs. Jesus Aguilar singled to right, but Polanco threw out the runner at home to preserve the tie. In 5 2/3 innings Kuhl allowed two runs and four hits, and struck out a career-high seven.
Bell doubled in the sixth and Polanco's second double of the game drove him in to break the 2-2 tie.
