Jordy Mercer recorded 4 RBI and Gerrit Cole pitched like the man he was prior to his injury before re-injuring himself as the Pirates took the first game of a three-game set from the Phillies 8-2 on a perfect 4th of July afternoon in Pittsburgh.
The Pirates provided some early fireworks for the sellout crowd at PNC with a four-spot in the first. Russell Martin, Josh Harrison and Jordy Mercer (2 RBI) all provided RBI in the inning while the offense collected five hits and walked twice in the frame. They added a run on in the fourth when Gregory Polanco singled with one out. Andrew McCutchen then plated him with a RBI double to left leaving Cutch only a home run short of a cycle four innings in (single in 1st, triple in 2nd, double in 4th).
Cole looked like a pitcher who had shaken the rust off after his injury allowing only three Phillies baserunners over five innings of work, but he was removed from the game after the fifth right-lat soreness. His fastball only ranged between 91-94 in the fifth inning however, the Phillies never had more than one baserunner on at a time in the game and never posed a threat against Cole.
Cole left the game as mostly a precaution as he didn’t feel any pain, just some tightness.
“It just started getting a little tight,” said Cole. “Coming off the DL, we just aired on the side of caution, but it feels good right now. I should be good to go.”
The Phillies would get on the board against Stolmy Pimentel in the sixth. Ben Revere and Jimmy Rollins both walked to start the inning. Chase Utley followed with a RBI single down the right field line. Pimentel then walked Jimmy Rollins to load the bases and end his day. Jared Hughes came in and quickly got a 5-4-3 double play — allowing his first inherited runner to score this season — and a looking strikeout to Cody Asche to get out of the jam.
The Pirates got the two runs back in the seventh. Russell Martin walked and Gaby Sanchez reached on an infield single. Both advanced 90 feet on a throwing error on the play and scored on Mercer’s second 2 RBI hit of the evening — his first career four-RBI game.
“We got some big hits down the road,” said manager Clint Hurdle. “Mercer had some big swings today to drive in four runs, but everyone just kept getting looks and doing what we needed them to do.”
McCutchen came within feet of the cycle in the eighth when he hit a RBI double mid-way up the Clemente wall. He finished the day going 4-for-5 with 2 doubles, a triple, a RBI and a run.
“I thought off the bat [it was a home run], but you never know with this ballpark,” said McCutchen. “Some days it goes, some days it don’t.”
The trio of Wilson, Watson and Gomez pitched a perfect three innings to close things out.
Final Score: Pirates 8, Phillies 2.
Starters Lines
Cole (W, 7-4): 5 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 5 K’s, 1 HBP. 80 Pitches (51 Strikes).
Hernandez (L,3-8): 5 2/3 IP, 10 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 4 BB, 3 K’s. 117 Pitches (66 Strikes).
These two will be back at it tomorrow afternoon in the second game of the three-game set.
Tomorrow’s Starters
(RHP) Edinson Volquez (PIT): 6-6, 4.07 ERA
(RHP) David Buchanan (4-4, 4.86 ERA)
First pitch is set for 4:05.
(Photo Credit: Getty Images)
