Pirates 5, Indians 3
PITTSBURGH -- Settling down after a shaky beginning, Gerrit Cole notched his major-league-high 12th win as the Pittsburgh Pirates rallied for a 5-3 victory over the Cleveland Indians on Sunday.
Cole (12-3) set down 16 consecutive batters after the Indians scored twice in the second inning and once in the third to take a 3-0 lead.
The right-hander allowed three runs and five hits in eight innings with five strikeouts and one walk. He was winless in his previous two starts while pitching a combined 11 1/3 innings.
Center fielder Andrew McCutchen's two-run double off the top of the top of the center field fence capped a five-run fifth inning against Danny Salazar (7-3) and gave the Pirates (47-34) a 5-3 lead.
Third baseman Jung Ho Kang led off the fifth with a single, and first baseman Pedro Alvarez followed with a two-run home run, his 12th.
Catcher Chris Stewart singled one out later, was sacrificed to second by Cole, took third on right fielder Josh Harrison's single and scored the tying run on a single by second baseman Neil Walker.
That set the stage for McCutchen.
Closer Mark Melancon converted his 25th consecutive save opportunity. He leads the National League with 27 saves.
Pirates left fielder Starling Marte left the game because of discomfort in his left side while batting in the fourth inning. The team said he would be re-evaluated Monday.
Salazar (7-4) allowed five runs and seven hits in 4 2/3 innings with seven strikeouts and one walk. The right-hander allowed three runs or fewer in seven of his eight previous starts.
The Indians (38-43) took an early lead on consecutive RBI singles by center fielder Michael Bourn and catcher Roberto Perez in the second inning and left fielder Michael Brantley's run-scoring single in the third.
Cleveland went 5-5 on its 10-game road trip.
NOTES: Pirates RF Gregory Polanco was not in the lineup after going 0-for-9 in his previous three games. He entered after LF Starling Marte got hurt, and he went 0-for-3. ... Indians OF David Murphy normally starts against right-handers but was on the bench, the odd man out because the designated hitter rule is not in effect in interleague games in American League parks. He entered as a sub and went 0-for-1. ... The Indians open a four-game home series with the American League West-leading Astros on Monday night with RHP Carlos Carrasco (10-6, 3.88 ERA) starting against Houston LHP Dallas Keuchel (10-3, 2.03 ERA). Carrasco will make his first start since losing a no-hitter with two outs in the ninth inning Wednesday in a win at Tampa Bay. ... The Pirates begin a three-game series with the Padres on Monday night with RHP A.J. Burnett (7-3, 2.05 ERA) facing San Diego RHP James Shields (7-3, 4.14 ERA).