Astros close out series with win.
Cole’s sparkling debut includes 11 K’s, one run allowed in 7 innings
ARLINGTON — Six weeks in spring training was what A.J. Hinch had to understand his new acquisition, the attitude with which he approaches each start, and how Hinch must manage during those starts.
Those games of no meaning revealed only so much about Gerrit Cole, obtained this past offseason in hopes of giving Houston the best starting rotation in the majors.
While still working in a front-office role, Hinch scouted Cole when he threw for UCLA. Hinch also managed against Cole in August 2016, when the floppy-haired righthander anchored the Pirates’ rotation.
Video, scouting reports and one up-close look from an opposing dugout divulged only essentials. Cole possesses four pitches and has what Hinch described as an “attacking” demeanor, regardless of the score or situation.
“Early in the season,” Hinch acknowledged, “will be a feeling-out process.” Its start was sublime. Cole delivered seven innings of one-run baseball for the Astros on Sunday. He struck out 11 and yielded just three walks. And his offense was more than
welcoming, pummeling five Texas pitchers for 13 hits in an 8-2, seriesclinching win Cole commanded.
“He was exceptional,” Hinch said. “He was in total control of the game, and I think he finished even stronger than he started. His stuff was electrifying at the end of the game.”
The manager arrived at Globe Life Park on Easter morning to Cole’s voice. Cole and catcher Max Stassi were reviewing hitter reports. Cole’s cerebral style was a pleasant surprise, “much more advanced” than Hinch originally assumed.
Together, the battery produced one of Cole’s finest outings. Twenty-one of his pitches were swung upon and missed — the most in Cole’s five-year career.
He struck out the side in the fifth and seventh innings. Not since Sept. 28, 2014, when Cole struck out 12 Reds, had he amassed as many as 11 K’s in a game.
“The last three innings he just hit this other gear,” Stassi said. “He just commanded everything and was blowing fastballs by guys. They were really late on him, and he had just such a good mix. When they’d think a fastball was coming, he’d drop in a changeup.”
Eleven of Cole’s fourseam fastballs elicited a swing and miss. Seven of his 11 strikeouts came on the pitch, which maintained a velocity around 96 mph. His 68th pitch to Jurickson Profar was 98.5 mph, the hardest he threw all game.
Cole snapped a curveball on the 69th. Profar stood no chance, the seventh strikeout victim of the afternoon. Nine of the 15 curveballs Cole tossed were either swung on and missed or called strikes.
“I just thought that we were putting the ball in a good spot and keeping them off-balance enough,” Cole said. “I don’t know if it’s anything extraordinary. We located well later in the game, got away with a few mistakes.”
Just one curveball was put in play. It was Cole’s only mistake, a first-inning hanger he threw at Joey Gallo’s belt. Against the Astros’ now-famous four-man outfield, the Rangers first baseman deposited it to the opposite field for a short-lived Texas lead.
Last season was Cole’s worst as a professional. He produced a 4.26 ERA.
Only twice did he strike out 10 batters in a game. Never more. Thirty-one home runs were hit against him across 203 innings.
Therein sat the uncertainty. Questions that, at least for one day, were answered.
“He worked so meticulously through their lineup a couple different times with different ways of getting guys out,” Hinch said. “Just an excellent performance.” Texas posed one threat against Cole sandwiched between two fabulous finishing frames. Runners stood at the corners with one out in the sixth. No Ranger had crossed second base since the first.
One was out, the Astros clung to a 4-1 lead, and Cole was approaching 90 pitches. No Astros starter in the series had eclipsed 100. Still, the bullpen was inactive, Hinch placing his faith in a man he admitted he was still getting to know.
“I just felt like he was in cruise control,” Hinch said, “even though there was some traffic around him.”
Cole stared into Nomar Mazara. A first-pitch changeup sailed inside. Cole threw another. Mazara golfed it to Jose Altuve, who flipped to Carlos Correa. Correa hummed a hard relay to first. Cole pumped his fist and pointed to his shortstop as he sauntered from the field.