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Gerrit Cole Doesn’t Continue Recent Success in Pirates Loss to the Reds

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PITTSBURGH – Gerrit Cole got knocked around for five runs on six hits in six innings as the Pirates lost, 7-3, to the Cincinnati Reds on Friday.

Cole had finally lowered his season ERA below 4.00 with a five-inning shutout performance against the Reds last time out, but it ballooned back to 4.11 after Friday.

The first inning was again an issue for Cole, as it has been at times all season. He gave up three hits and a walk as the Reds plated three in the opening frame and never looked back.

Manager Clint Hurdle said the issue with Cole early was his fastball command, and Cole agreed. Cole gave up a single to Billy Hamilton, walked Zack Cozart and then gave up two straight RBI doubles to Joey Votto and Adam Duvall to start the game.

“I made a mistake to Hamilton,” Cole said. “I made a mistake to Duvall. You don’t want to walk Cozart right there, but the walk doesn’t kill us. Joey Votto, that’s a good pitch, good placement on the fly ball, we just didn’t have anyone close to it.”

“It was basically fastball command against a team that can hit a fastball if it’s up and over the plate early,” Hurdle said. “The guys that got him, Hamilton started with the fastball. Then with Votto and Duvall driving some balls. I think there was a walk or two in the inning, as well, which compounded things. It was a little out of character from what we’ve seen for quite a while.”

Cole has allowed 18 runs in the first inning this year, the second-most of any inning (he’s allowed 24 in the fifth). His OPS against the first time through the order is .732. It’s .649 the second time through.

Here’s more from Cole on his frustrating night and how he needs to compartmentalize that frustration going forward.

HE SAID IT

“Almost, man. I was really close to that. I’ve leaped on top of that wall a countless amount of times and set my glove up and that’s the first time I put some leather on it. I just got up a tad, split second too late. If I was up a little earlier, I probably would have had it. I probably would have caught it.” — Andrew McCutchen on his play in the sixth inning, when he robbed Scooter Gennett of a home run, but could not hold on for a catch. Gennett tripled on the play.

More from McCutchen on his close call to checking a box off his career to-do list:

GAME IN GRAPHS

Last season was supposed to be a write-off year for Cole, as he battled numerous injuries to career highs in ERA (3.88), FIP (3.33) and xFIP (4.02). This season has been worse across the board and without Cole dealing with any ailments.

QUICK HITS

***Before the game, Hurdle said the team would look at Dovydas Neverauskas in Juan Nicasio’s old eighth-inning role. Nicasio didn’t typically pitch with a 5-2 deficit, but Neverauskas did get the call in the eighth.

Unfortunately, he gave up three singles, a walk and two wild pitches to give up two runs before getting out of the inning with a 3-6-1 double play. Neverauskas had never thrown a wild pitch in the majors before Friday.

***The Pirates worked Reds starter Luis Castillo to a quick hook with 89 pitches after four innings, but scored just two runs against him and one over five innings of the Cincinnati bullpen. Hurdle appreciated the patience, but acknowledged that the offense continues to come up small.

“(Are we) seeing pitches? Yeah. Doing some damage is where we’re coming up short.”

The Pirates have scored just eight runs over their last four games.

***Wade LeBlanc returned from the disabled list and threw a scoreless ninth inning. There had been reports that LeBlanc had been placed on irrevocable waivers along with Nicasio, but they were apparently unfounded.

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