Pirates prospect Cole picks up first professional win

Right-hander Gerrit Cole had a tough lineup to face in his second professional start in the Arizona Fall League. But on Thursday afternoon at Mesa HoHoKam Park, the highly regarded prospects didn’t faze Cole, who was solid tossing three scoreless frames to pick up his first professional win.

Outfielder Mike Trout, the Los Angeles Angels prospect who was ranked No. 1 in the sport by Baseball America and spent some time in the Majors this season, went hitless against Cole. Also in the lineup for the Scottsdale Scorpions was outfielder phenom Bryce Harper of the Washington Nationals organization, who did line a single off Cole. It was one of just two hits that the Pirates No.1 selection in the 2011 draft would give up in his second start in the AFL.

All in all, Cole tossed three scoreless frames, gave up two hits –both singles that came in the 2^nd inning– on one walk and struck out three. Of Cole’s 53 pitches, 33 of them were strikes.

Jayson Grey of ESPN reported that Cole threw five 100 mph fastballs and a 101 in the 1^st inning. In Cole’s debut, where he allowed three runs on three hits over 2.1 innings, he hit 100 mph twice. What Grey said was perhaps more important, however, was that his changeup was better this outing. It was clocked at 88-89 mph.

Following Cole were Pirates prospects Nathan Baker and Michael Colla from the bullpen.

Baker, a 23-year-old lefty who was ranked as the Bucs 17^th best prospect by Baseball America, tossed two innings of relief. He gave up no hits, no runs on two walks and three strikeouts.

Colla, 24, who finished ninth in the Eastern League with a 3.70 ERA, allowed one run –a solo-homer– over two innings with a walk and two strikeouts.

But the impressive outings from the Bucs pitching staff wasn’t the only highlights by the Pirates organization in the 4-1 Solar Sox win.

Outfielder Robbie Grossman, the Pirates Minor League Player-of-the-Year, belted a leadoff homer in the 1^st inning –his fifth long ball, which leads the Fall League. Grossman finished 2-for-4 with a run, and three RBI. He has now had six consecutive multi-hit games.

Infielder Jarek Cunningham went 1-for-4 with a  double and a run scored. Over his last five games, Cunningham has gone 9-for-23 (.391 avg) with two doubles, two home runs and seven RBI.

Photo credit: MILB