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Gerrit Cole looks more than ready to start facing major league hitters.
Taking the mound for the RailRiders on Friday night in Rochester on a rehab assignment, Cole turned in a dominant performance in his first ever appearance for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
Though the Red Wings ended up winning 2-1 on a walk-off sacrifice fly in the bottom of the ninth, it was Cole drawing all of the attention.
The reigning AL Cy Young winner and Yankees ace pitched 4.1 innings and struck out 10, allowing two hits without a walk. Rochester managed an unearned run against Cole thanks to inning-extending error.
He finished with 70 pitches, throwing 46 of them for strikes.
Cole, 33, has been on the injured list for the entire season after being diagnosed with nerve inflammation back in March. He began throwing bullpens in May and made two rehab starts in Double-A Somerset this month before joining the RailRiders Friday.
Cole told reporters in Rochester after the game that a decision on his next start, whether it be with the RailRiders or Yankees, will be made in the next two days.
The offense only gave the pitching staff one run of support, which came on a solo home run by Jeter Downs in the third to open the scoring.
A Ben Rice error at first cost Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in the fourth, leading to Riley Adams’ RBI single against Cole after the frame should have been over.
The game stayed tied at 1-1 until the ninth, as Jackson Cluff drew a leadoff walk, stole second and then took third on a sac bunt. Cluff scored the winning run on Erick Mejia’s fly ball to right.
Downs had two of the RailRiders’ five hits.