Defense key as Pirates edge Rockies

PITTSBURGH — Throwing seven strong innings, oddly, without a strikeout, right-hander Gerrit Cole worked his way out of trouble and led the Pirates to a 2-1 win over the Rockies on Friday night at PNC Park.

Cole scattered 10 hits but limited the Rockies’ lineup to just one run: Nolan Arenado’s Major League-leading 14th home run, a sixth-inning no-doubter to left field. It was Cole’s first start without a strikeout, but he managed to pitch effectively for seven full innings by relying on Pittsburgh’s defense, which delivered in several key moments.

The Pirates escaped the first two innings on a couple of line-drive double plays. With the bases loaded and one out in the fourth, first baseman John Jaso and second baseman Josh Harrison scooped up a pair of ground balls to end the inning. Left fielder Starling Marte unleashed a 100.6 mph throw — per Statcast™ — to nail Dustin Garneau at the plate, the would-be tying run in the seventh inning.

Rockies right-hander Eddie Butler kept the Pirates in check for most of the night, but Gregory Polanco opened the scoring with an RBI groundout in the first inning and David Freese delivered a go-ahead single to center with two outs and two strikes in the sixth, driving in Marte from second base.

“He took some swings at some pitches up, already, and he ends up breaking his bat and it finds a hole,” Butler said. “Not much to do about that. Most of the time we get him to pop it up or he swings through it.”

MOMENTS THAT MATTEREDDon’t run on Starling Marte: Marte led all National League outfielders last year with 16 assists, regularly showing off his rocket right arm. But the Rockies still tested him in the …

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