Cole outpitches Nola, Yankees win 4-2 as Phils fall to 1-5
Gerrit Cole outpitched Aaron Nola in a marquee matchup, Gleyber Torres had three hits and two RBIs and the New York Yankees beat the Philadelphia Phillies 4-2 Wednesday.
Torres also stole two bases and is hitting .421 with six RBIs and five steals. Jose Trevino added a two-run homer off reliever Gregory Soto, and New York took two of three for the second straight series. NL champion Philadelphia has skidded to a 1-5 start, its worst since 2007.
Coming off six scoreless innings against San Francisco in the opener, Cole (2-0) pitched shutout ball into the seventh and left after a pitch-clock violation put on a runner who scored the first run off him this season. The 32-year-old right-hander allowed three hits in 6 1/3 innings, struck out eight and walked three. He also picked off speedy Trea Turner at first base for the final out of the third.
On a 48-degree afternoon with a chilling mist, Nola (0-1) gave up three runs and seven hits in six-plus innings with a walk and five strikeouts. He has a 7.45 ERA.
Nola entered third for pitcher WAR since 2018 behind Max Scherzer and Jacob deGrom, and Cole was fourth.
Cole left after he shook off Trevino with a full count to Nick Castellanos and one out in the seventh and was called for a pitch-clock violation that resulted in a walk.
Jonathan Loáisiga allowed a single to Bryson Stott on his first pitch and hit Alec Bohm with his second, loading the bases. Jake Cave hit a sacrifice fly that cut the deficit to 2-1, and pinch-hitter Josh Harrison grounded to third, where Isiah Kiner-Falefa beat Stott to the bag for the forceout.
Nola walked Oswaldo Cabrera leading off the bottom half, Soto relieved and Trevino drove a slider to left for his first home run this season and a 4-1 lead.
Kyle Schwarber hit his second home run of the series off Loáisiga in the eighth. Clay Holmes struck out three straight batters in the ninth, finishing the five-hitter for his first save this season.
New York went ahead in the first when Aaron Judge singled, stole second and Torres’ bat shattered as he hit a curveball off the end of it and dumped a single into left.
DJ LeMahieu doubled in the sixth and scored when Torres grounded a single to center for his sixth RBI in six games.
TOSSED
Phillies hitting coach Kevin Long was ejected by plate umpire Nic Lentz in the fifth for arguing a called strike to Cave.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Phillies: OF Bryce Harper (Tommy John surgery) took batting practice on the field Tuesday, his first on-field BP since Tommy John surgery in November. ... 1B Darick Hall sprained his right thumb when it landed on second base when he was trying to stretch a single in the fourth inning. Hall was tagged out by SS Anthony Volpe, who caught RF Franchy Cordero’s throw on the fly and made a swipe tag, and Hall left the game in the middle of the fifth. ... CF Brandon Marsh was in the original starting lineup, then scratched with a mild left ankle sprain.
Yankees: 3B Josh Donaldson left with right hamstring tightness after hobbling while running to first on a second-inning flyout. ... LHP Carlos Rodón (left forearm strain) was to throw two simulated innings Wednesday, perhaps one to batters. ... RHP Luis Severino (right lat strain) threw at 90 feet. ... RHP Tommy Kahnle (right biceps tendinitis) started a throwing program.
UP NEXT
Phillies: RHP Zack Wheeler (0-1) takes the mound Thursday for Philadelphia’s home opener against LHP Nick Lodolo (1-0) and Cincinnati.
Yankees: RHP Clarke Schmidt (0-0) starts in Baltimore’s home opener against RHP Dean Kremer (0-0) on Friday, a game pushed back a day by a forecast of poor weather.