PITTSBURGH -- David Freese insisted it was true that he told Pittsburgh Pirates teammate Chris Stewart the other day it would be fun to get hit by a pitch with the bases loaded "because I never had it before."

Now he has. Remarkably, after making the statement, Freese took a fastball from Philadelphia Phillies starter Aaron Nola on the left arm with the bases loaded in the sixth inning on Sunday, driving in the only run in a 1-0 Pirates victory.

"It was kind of weird that it happened," the veteran third baseman said. "I'm not really good about getting out of the way, anyway. But I saw it coming and I was trying to wear it, for sure. Just get that ribbie."

Nola and Pirates starter Chad Kuhl, with help from his bullpen, found themselves locked up in a battle of young pitchers on a rainy afternoon at PNC Park.

Kuhl, 24, 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.

Kuhl said he has been watching a lot of video and correcting his arm angle.

"The angle was getting away from me," he said. "That's something I really wanted to work on."

Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said, "The ball was angled down with finish. By the third inning, he had already started using the back foot and the backdoor slider and then he started throwing some changeups. He elevated appropriately when he wanted to with the four-seamer. He really got to a good, confident spot on the mound."

Nola, 23, was out with a strained back since April 20. He yielded four hits in seven innings and the lone run of the game.

"He kept everything down. He had a good curveball today, he located very well," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "Changed speeds, kept them off-balance -- and the results show."

Nola (2-2), who had three starts before getting hurt, said, "I was confident. My body felt good, my back felt good. Felt like I didn't skip a beat."

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. He came out for a pinch-hitter in the bottom of inning, but Jose Osuna flied out with John Jaso on third.

The only run scored when Adam Frazier and Josh Harrison singled, Josh Bell drew the intentional pass and Nola hit Freese.

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 in August. ... The Phillies have now lost seven straight series.