Suarez, Gennett homer, knock out Pirates’ Cole
CINCINNATI — Pittsburgh's Gerrit Cole was on his way to a second straight impressive start on Sunday in Cincinnati.
A Reds offensive burst derailed him.
Cole allowed one hit through five innings before Eugenio Suarez and Scooter Gennett each hit two-run home runs in the sixth to back Robert Stephenson's impressive pitching and the Reds completed their second three-game sweep of the slumping Pirates this season with a 5-2 victory.
"Obviously, we can hit," Gennett said. "It's nice to see the other pieces are falling in. I finally feel if they give up four or less we have a pretty good chance to win."
Cole (11-11) had allowed just five hits in seven shutout innings and homered in a 1-0 Pittsburgh win in Cincinnati on Aug. 26 — his first career win against the Reds. He extended his string of shutout innings at smallish Great American Ball Park to 12 before the Reds pounced.
Jesse Winker's two-out, third-inning single was the Reds' only hit until Suarez followed a leadoff walk to Winker in the sixth with his 26th homer of the season. After Cole walked Joey Votto, Gennett lined his 25th homer of the season into the rightfield seats, knocking Cole out of the game without getting an out in the inning.
Tucker Barnhart added a run-scoring triple in the sixth as the Reds sent the Pirates to their fifth straight loss and 10th in 11 games.
The win was Cincinnati's 66th of the season, two short of matching last season's total, and they pulled within two games of fourth-place Pittsburgh in the National League Central Division.
The Pirates got just one hit against Stephenson (5-5) — Cole's double in the third, which left runners on second and third with nobody out. Stephenson struck out John Jaso and got Jordan Luplow and Andrew McCutchen to pop up.
The rookie righthander pitched six shutout innings, walking three and striking out eight.