Gerrit Cole needed 20 pitches to get out of the first inning, however both he and the Pittsburgh Pirates were able to settle down and earn a 4-3 road victory Monday night against the Philadelphia Phillies.
The Phillies scored in the first inning when three consecutive batters reached base. Cole got the first two outs before Chase Utley was walked on four pitches. Ryan Howard followed with a single to right field. Grady Sizemore then connected for another single which scored Utley.
Cole [4-1] would retire nine of the next 10 batters he faced.
“It felt like I wasn’t off, I was just missing my spot a little bit on those two guys both good left-handed low ball hitters,” Cole said. “I just didn’t try to change anything and trusted that I was locked in.”
This allowed the Pirates to attack Phillies starter Jerome Williams [2-2]. Jung Ho Kang doubled in the second inning but was stranded. In the third, Polanco drew a walk and stole his 10th base of the season which places him third in the National League in that statistic. Two batters later Andrew McCutchen also earned a base on balls. This brought Starling Marte to the plate.
Marte quickly fell behind 0-2. Williams next threw a pitch that nearly hit Marte in the hands with the bat being the left fielder’s lone saving grace. On a 1-2 pitch, however, Marte drove the pitch 405 feet into left-center field good for his eighth home run of the season.
“I do [feel comfortable],” Marte said. “I still am focusing on the pitch I want to hit. I’m really comfortable right now and I am working hard every day.”
Marte has been hitting cleanup lately and manager Clint Hurdle is pleased with how he has performance in that spot of the lineup.
“He’s doing a real good job for us there,” Hurdle said. “He’s aggressive and dangerous and he turned out to be dangerous tonight. He pushed that at bat and fouled off some balls to stay in that count and jumped on a mistake. It was a big swing of the bat for us.”
Sizemore struck again in the sixth inning. Freddy Galvis walked to open the inning. Howard was hit by a pitch and Sizemore hit a ball that Marte was unable to run down. The single reduced the deficit to one run and brought out pitching coach Ray Searage. Cole then was able to get a strikeout and a ground out which ended the inning. The 25-pitch inning was Cole’s busiest of the game.
Cole’s night was done after seven innings. He allowed two runs on six hits in 94 pitches, 60 of which were strikes. With his win Cole is 9-1 with a 2.62 ERA over his last 12 starts which ties him with Zack Greinke for most wins in that time period.
“He’s maturing every time he takes the mound,” said Hurdle. “Each game he pitches he’s gaining more experience.”
In the top of the seventh inning Polanco hit a one-out single. Walker then drew an eight-pitch walk. Polanco ran for second on the pitch and Carlos Ruiz’s throwing error allowed him to take third. Jake Diekman, who was the Phillies third pitcher at the time was removed and Luis Garcia took his place. McCutchen’s sacrifice fly allowed Polanco to score and Walker took second on the Ben Revere throw home.
The Phillies used five of their seven relievers in this game with Dustin McGowan and closer Jonathan Papelbon the lone two not to pitch.
Mark Melancon came in to to pitch the ninth inning and allowed a home run to Odubel Herrera on an 0-2 pitch. It is the first home run of Herrera’s major league career. Melancon would allow a single to Ruiz but leave him on base earning his third save in as many days.
His eighth save of the year also is his 57th with the Pirates moving him into sole possession of eighth place in club history.
The Pirates now move to 7-1 in their past eight games at Citizens Bank Park and have a .500 record at 16-16 on the season. This was the fourth consecutive road game for the team that has been decided by one run.
Tuesday A.J. Burnett [1-1 1.66 ERA] will pitch against one of his former teams against Sean O’Sullivan [0-1 4.91 ERA]. Burnett is 6-9 with a 5.00 ERA in 20 career appearances against the Phillies. O’Sullivan has pitched one scoreless inning in relief against the Pirates.
Photo credit: @Pirates
