Reds continue mastery of Cole

Associated Press

CINCINNATI

Gerrit Cole’s season debut didn’t go as well has he’d hoped. That’s usually the result whenever he faces the Cincinnati Reds.

Eugenio Suarez drove in three runs with a single off Cole and a homer, and the Reds sent the Pittsburgh Pirates to their first loss, 5-1 on Saturday.

At 4-0, Pittsburgh was off to its best start since 2003. The Pirates also had their top starter making his debut — Cole (0-1) was pushed back in the rotation after developing a sore ribcage during spring training. He still couldn’t beat the Reds.

Cole won 19 games last season and finished fourth in the NL Cy Young voting, but failed to beat the Reds in four starts, going 0-3 with a 5.95 ERA. Over his career, he’s 0-5 in seven starts against them.

“Overall, pretty subpar,” said Cole, who gave up three runs and five hits in 42/3 innings. “I wasn’t over-excited. I just tried to make pitches. I was just a little rusty. I’m going to have to do a little work.”

Suarez had an RBI single in the first and a two-run homer in the seventh off Kyle Lobstein, his team-leading third of the season. He also scored three times.

“It was tough for me to get the ball in the (strike) zone consistently,” Cole said. “I just tried to grind it. I started getting in a little rhythm for a minute there — probably just a minute. You try to put your foot down as best you can.”

Raisel Iglesias (1-0) gave up a run and eight hits in 52/3 innings. He was moved to the front of the rotation when injuries sent four starters to the disabled list.

It was 38 degrees at the first pitch with a wind chill of 25. Light snow fell during the game, which featured a Reds blanket giveaway. Many of the 22,799 fans were wrapped in them.

It didn’t go well for Cole at the outset. He allowed three hits in his first 11 pitches, including Suarez’s RBI single. Jay Bruce’s one-out single made it 2-0. After the ragged start, he settled in and retired nine in a row.

“He held up really well,” manager Clint Hurdle said. “It was his first start. He had to make a lot of pitches. He threw all of his pitches. He maintained his velocity. It’s a step in the right direction overall. He just needs to pitch more.”

Iglesias allowed at least one runner in each of the first four innings, but was bailed out by a pair of double plays, including one with the bases loaded. The Pirates stranded four runners in scoring position in those four innings.