MLB Player News

Pirates pitcher Gerrit Cole earned a win Wednesday, giving up just one unearned run on three hits and one walk in six innings while striking out eight in his team's 8-1 victory over the Cubs.

Cole (4-0) has surrendered just three earned runs in his last four starts, all wins, since a mediocre season debut. His only run allowed came on a second-inning single to put the Cubs ahead, but the Pirates had no trouble giving the starter the win, scoring nine runs over the final six innings of the game.

"It's nice to get out of here without getting swept," Cole said after the game, per MLB.com. "We can relax a little more on the off-day, clear our minds and get ready for St. Louis this weekend."

Cole owns a 1.76 ERA and 35:8 K:BB ratio in 30 2/3 innings across five starts. The Pirates are off Thursday and Monday, so Cole's next start could come either Tuesday or Wednesday against the Reds at home.

Cardinals pitcher Carlos Martinez allowed two runs on six hits in six innings of work in St. Louis' 5-2 win over the Phillies Wednesday.

Martinez cruised through the first three innings, allowing just three hits. Then in the fourth, Martinez surrendered a solo home run to Ryan Howard over the right field wall. Then in the fifth with runners on second and third, Odubel Herrera singled to right to bring home another run.

Martinez, now 3-0, lowered his ERA to 1.73 in 26 innings of work. He will look to keep rolling Monday against the Cubs.

Braves pitcher Alex Wood allowed five runs on six hits in five innings of work in Atlanta's 13-4 loss to the Nationals Wednesday.

"Mechanically and from a stuff standpoint, I feel that is the best I've been all spring," Wood said, per MLB.com. "I was happy with the process, but I was pretty disappointed with the results."

Wood was roughed up in the fourth inning when Washington plated four runs on four hits, only one of which going for extra bases. He finished off the fifth inning with no issues, but already reached 100 pitches.

"The Woody we love to see and the competitiveness was there," manager Fredi Gonzalez said after the game, per MLB.com. "It was just a lot of pitches and a lot of deep counts."

Wood, who moves to 1-1 on the year, pushed his ERA to 4.03. He will look to bounce back Monday against the Phillies.

Cubs pitcher Neil Ramirez was able to play catch Wednesday in Arizona as he works his way up to throwing off the mound, according to MLB.com.

Ramirez, who is currently on the 15-day DL with right shoulder inflammation, picked up the injury in last week during his appearance against the Reds. Ramirez has a 1-0 record with a 3.00 ERA in three innings of work with four strikeouts and three walks.

Reds pitcher Michael Lorenzen made his major league debut Wednesday and surrendered three runs on eight hits over five innings of work during Wednesday's 8-3 loss to the Brewers.

"It's a process of learning how to pitch up here and be successful," Reds manager Bryan Price said of Lorenzen, via MLB.com. "I was happy with his stuff and how he composed himself in some tough spots."

All three of the runs Lorenzen gave up came off home runs. Lorenzen's long ball troubles began in the second inning when Adam Lind and Khris Davis each hit a solo shot. The last home run Lorenzen surrendered was to Ryan Braun in the fifth inning. 

Lorenzen received his first loss of his career for his effort and his ERA is at 5.40. He was able to strike out five hitters and walked one.

"The biggest thing I learned? Get ahead of guys," Lorenzen said. "You have to get ahead of guys, and when you miss, they have to be good misses. I missed [a pitch] to Braun and it was up, and he let the whole stadium know that I missed. My misses have to be a little better than what they were today."

By starting Lorenzen on Wednesday, it allowed the Reds to push back Mike Leake's start to Thursday. It is not know when Lorenzen's next start will be for the Reds.

The Nationals have recalled pitcher Sammy Solis and outfielder Michael Taylor while optioning pitcher A.J. Cole back to Triple-A, the team announced. 

In addition, Washington placed outfielder Reed Johnson on the 15-day DL with a calf strain. Cole started Tuesday's game against the Braves and was rocked for nine runs in two innings of work. Taylor was sent to Triple-A roughly two weeks ago and was hitting .271 to start the year. Solis has appeared in three games this season in the minors with an 0-0 record and a 2.25 ERA.

Mets starting pitcher prospect Noah Syndergaard returned to action Tuesday for Triple-A Las Vegas after getting scratched from his start Friday due to an illness. The right-hander showed no ill-effects, as he tossed seven scoreless innings.

Syndergaard allowed two hits and no walks, while striking out nine. The highly touted prospect is 1-0 wth a 2.45 ERA in three starts for Las Vegas. He has 16 strikeouts and six walks in 14 2/3 innings. He has allowed just one home run in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League.

After another poor outing Tuesday against the Nationals, Braves starting pitcher Julio Teheran has allowed 16 runs (12 earned) on 20 hits (six home runs) and seven walks in his last three starts (15 innings). He has a 7.20 ERA in that span.

"I'm a little concerned, a lot of home runs," Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said of Teheran's struggles, per MLB.com. "The stuff and miles per hour are there. The location is just not [there]. It looked like they had some pretty good swings all night at him in all kinds of different counts. So, I think it is more location than it is stuff-wise."

Teheran has allowed at least four walks in two of his last four starts. He allowed four home runs in an April 17 start against Toronto.

"I'm still trying to find out what's going on, but I feel really good," Teheran.

Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw dueled against Madison Bumgarner and the Giants for the second time in six days. Although he got through seven innings for the first time this season, the left-hander was forced to settle for a tough-luck loss Tuesday night at home against San Francisco.

Kershaw (1-2) was unable to solve Buster Posey, who singled in a run in the first inning and launched a home run off the southpaw in the fourth, which proved to be the difference in a 2-1 defeat. Kershaw yielded two earned runs on seven hits and no walks while striking out eight over seven innings of work. Of his 92 pitches, 66 were strikes.

"Not a whole lot of analyzation going on -- bottom line, I just got outpitched. I gave up two, he gave up one," Kershaw said of his outing against Bumgarner, per the Orange County Register.

Kershaw lowered his ERA from 4.07 to 3.73 through five starts. He will make his first start of May on Monday at Milwaukee.

Cardinals starter Michael Wacha was not at his best, but did enough to come away with his fourth win of the season Tuesday night at home against Philadelphia.

Wacha (4-0) allowed a run-scoring double to Odubel Herrera and a run-scoring single to Chase Utley in the third inning before allowing another pair of runs to score in the fifth inning. He permitted four runs on six hits and two walks while striking out four over 5 2/3 innings of an 11-5 victory.

Wacha owns a 2.42 ERA, a 1.04 WHIP and 16 strikeouts over 26 innings in four starts to start the season. He will look to go after win No. 5 vs. Pittsburgh on Sunday.