The Reds came into Wednesday tied for 23rd in the Major Leagues in two-out hits this season, but they splurged on them against normally stingy Pirates ace Gerrit Cole.
During a 5-2 victory, the Reds scored all of their runs — and recorded seven of their 12 hits — when there were two outs. None were more pivotal than the four straight two-out hits vs. Cole in the top of the first inning. It started when Todd Frazier reached out and lined an RBI double off the glove of sliding right fielder Gregory Polanco that scored Billy Hamilton.
“If he catches it, we don’t score that inning. We go on to score four,” Reds manager Bryan Price said.
Cole struggled to close the inning down as Jay Bruce followed with an RBI double and Marlon Byrd attacked a first pitch for a two-run homer to center field that made it 4-0. Cole threw 38 pitches in the inning.
“I was able to get a pitch early and put a good swing on it and have it carry,” Byrd said. “Once he starts cruising, he just doesn’t let up. We needed the runs early.”
Cole entered the night 11-2 with a 1.78 ERA and hadn’t allowed more than three earned runs in his previous 14 starts this season.
“There was a tipping point,” Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. “He’s one pitch away from getting out of the inning. There’s such a fine line between giving up runs and not giving up runs.”
A pair of two-out singles came in the third inning, including one by Byrd to right field that made it a 5-1 game. While the Pirates were 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position, the Reds were 4-for-11.
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