Kuhl 'won't be able to sleep' after beating Kershaw

PITTSBURGH - Chad Kuhl seemingly didn't stand much of a chance in his major league debut against a three-time National League Cy Young Award winner on a nine-game winning streak.

Yet Kuhl pitched five effective innings and David Freese hit a three-run double that sent the Pittsburgh Pirates past Clayton Kershaw and the Los Angeles Dodgers 4-3 on Sunday night.

''That's one of the beautiful things about sport,'' Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. ''You can't write that story before the game. You wouldn't have that in there anywhere and it plays itself out on the national stage.''

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Kuhl allowed three runs and four hits in five innings after getting called up from Triple-A Indianapolis before the game. The 23-year-old righty struck out five and walked four after going 6-2 with a 2.58 ERA in 14 minor league starts.

''It's something really special, I have a lot of respect for that guy,'' Kuhl said of beating Kershaw. ''That's something to dream about, my debut was against Kershaw, so that was incredible.''

Asked after the game how it felt to beat Kershaw in his first major-league start, Kuhl told ESPN's Buster Olney: "I won't be able to sleep tonight."

Kershaw, meanwhile, took his second loss of the season exactly two months after he was beaten by Miami on April 26. He gave up four runs and nine hits in six innings, striking out four and walking two.

''Sometimes I think we all forget that he's not perfect, but he's not perfect,'' Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. ''He is going to lose a game now and again.''