Pirates 11, Padres 1
SAN DIEGO -- Pittsburgh's Gerrit Cole tossed six scoreless innings and the Pirates defeated the San Diego Padres 11-1 on Thursday.
Cole (1-2) allowed four hits, didn't walk a batter and struck out seven as he dominated the Padres to avert a three-game sweep.
James Shields (0-3) remains winless after working six innings. He was charged with three runs on five hits with two walks. He struck out five in trying to win for the first time since Sept. 20.
Cole, who won his sixth straight road game against a National League West foe, was brilliant as he was finally supported by some offense. In his first two starts, the Pirates failed to score a run during his 12 innings.
Cole, an NL All-Star last year while going 19-8, had more than enough to work with as the Padres' bats were docile after scoring 13 runs in the series' first two games.
The Pirates, victorious for only the fourth time in their last 12 games, padded their cushion in the seventh when collecting eight runs against relievers Leonel Campos and Brad Hand.
Josh Harrison, David Freese and Francisco Cervelli each had two RBIs to pace Pittsburgh while five Pirates had multiple hits.
Pittsburgh took a 3-0 lead by scoring twice in the fourth inning. The second run came when Harrison scored on a wild pitch.
Harrison collected his second RBI of the game after Starling Marte opened with a single and advanced to third on two groundouts. Harrison singled to right to chase in Marte.
San Diego threatened in the fourth when Melvin Upton Jr. singled and stole second with one out. Cole, though, got Alexei Ramirez on a liner and struck out Christian Bethancourt.
The Padres had an opportunity in the third when Adam Rosales singled up the middle and Shields bunted him over to second base. Harrison made a diving stop at second base of Jon Jay's ball headed into right field. Jay reached on an infield single, but Rosales was forced to stay at third. Cole wiggled from the jam by retiring Wil Myers looking.
The Pirates got to Shields in the second inning to take a 1-0 lead. Harrison poked a single into left field to score Gregory Polanco, after Polanco reached on a two-out double. Shields struck out Jordy Mercer to strand Harrison.
NOTES: The Pirates' bullpen had three players unavailable: RHP Ryan Vogelsong, A.J. Schugel and LHP Kyle Lobstein. ... Pirates LHP Cory Luebke (hamstring) was to begin his rehab assignment on Thursday at Triple-A Indianapolis. ... Padres LHP Robbie Erlin was placed on the disabled list with a sore left elbow. Erlin (1-1), who had elbow issues in 2014, struggled in his last start. ... RHP Leonel Campos was called up by the Padres from Triple-A El Paso. ... Padres RHP Tyson Ross (shoulder), who is on the DL, had an MRI and the team was awaiting the results.