PIRATES 4 – PADRES 1
Win: Gerrit Cole (6-3)
Loss: Jesse Hahn (0-1)
Save: Jason Grilli (9)
AROUND THE BASES
Neil Walker (.279 – 11 HR – 34 RBI) and Pedro Alvarez (.227 – 11 HR – 33 RBI) each hit two-run homers and Gerrit Cole (6-3) limited the Padres to one run and four hits over 5 2/3 innings, leading the Pittsburgh Pirates (28-30) to a 4-1 win over San Diego Padres (26-33) on Tuesday night.
The win moved the Pirates within two games of .500 with a 28-30 record.
Cole earned team-leading sixth win of the season, striking out six and walked two.
Walker’s two-run homer in the third inning was his 11th home run of the season as his career season continues. Walker didn’t hit his 11th home run last season till Sept 18.
The Pirates are 5-1 on a seven game West Coast trip and go for the sweep today against the Padres with Francisco Liriano taking the mound.
“We didn’t play our best ball in New York and we had to move on from there,” Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said of the surging Pirates who have won 10 of 14. “We got some traction, got some starts we needed and the bullpen is working very efficiently and the offense continues to show up.”
Starling Marte (.236 – 4 HR – 17 RBI) who is hitless in his last 17 at-bats, did not start as Josh Harrison (.303 – 4 HR – 12 RBI) got the start in left field. Harrison went 1-4, extending his hitting streak to seven games, batting .387 during that span.