Pirates starter Gerrit Cole pitched well against the Cubs in the first game of Tuesday's doubleheader. Cole allowed four runs--three earned--on six hits over 6 1/3 innings. He struck out eight and did not walk a batter in the 5-4 win.
Cole gave up an unearned run in the top of the first, but the Pirates responded with three of their own in the bottom half. But, after the Pirates added another run, Cole ran into trouble in the seventh.
He was able to strike Kris Bryant out to start the inning, before allowing three straight hits leading to a run. Cole was lifted from the game with the Pirates leading 4-2 and runners on second and third. Both of those runners came in to score on a pair of wild pitches, which effecitvely took Cole out of the final decision.
This outing does count as a quality start, making it his fourth such performance in his last five starts.