Gerrit Cole picks up MLB-leading 12th win

Gerrit Cole got touched for three early runs but the Pirates put up five runs in the fifth and Cole would later cruise his way to his MLB-leading 12th win of the season in the Pirates 5-3 victory over the Indians on Sunday afternoon

Cole went 8 innings, allowing 5 hits and 3 runs, striking out 5 and walking 1 in the win. Cole retired the last 16 batters he faced.

What makes Cole a such a special pitcher is how strong mentally he is. The three early runs he allowed never saw him get frustrated, the Pirates ace said afterwards. “I wasn’t getting frustrated because I felt that they were hitting some good pitches,” Cole said afterwards. “Sometimes that happens.” Cole said the Indian hitters weren’t chasing early on. They weren’t chasing pitches out of the strike zone, especially early,” Cole said. “We just stayed with the game plan until things eventually started working out.”