Gerrit Cole shuts down Giants

Gerrit Cole (8-2, 1.90 ERA) struck out nine and shut down the San Francisco Giants after allowing 2 runs (0 earned) in the first inning, leading the Pirates to a 4-3 win over the Giants. Cole tied for the MLB lead with 8 wins, has an MLB best 12 wins since September.

Cole’s night of work — 7 IP, 5 hits, 0 ER, 9 SO, 2 BB. Cole found another gear as the game progressed, highlighted by getting out of trouble in the sixth inning.

Cole struck out the side in order in the fourth, then worked a 1-2-3 fifth before loading the bases with none out in the sixth. He got out of it with a strikeout of Brandon Belt and inducing Brandon Crawford’s inning-ending double play. “To find another gear in that sixth, to push himself out there, there was a hole dug, and he was the guy to get out of it,” manager Clint Hurdle said. “You shake your head a couple of times, and the bases are loaded and you got to go to work.”

The 2011 No. 1 overall pick has emerged this season as one of the top-10 pitchers in the game with an 8-2 record, 1.90 ERA, 79/16 K/BB ratio and a 1.08 WHIP in 71 innings pitched.