PITTSBURGH -- Clint Hurdle filled the Pirates' lineup with right-handed bats against Phillies righty Roberto Hernandez on Friday. The move made Hurdle look smart immediately, as the Bucs' bats did their heavy lifting early.Powered by four first-inning runs, the Pirates downed the Phillies, 8-2, before a Fourth of July crowd of 38,977 at PNC Park. But it wasn't all good news for the black and gold, as starter Gerrit Cole had to leave the game after five innings with right lat soreness. 
With just one left-handed hitter in the order (Gregory Polanco), the Pirates struck early off Hernandez -- who entered the game allowing a .264 average to righties compared with a .219 clip for lefties. The Pirates did not have an extra-base hit in the first, but Hernandez labored with 45 pitches to get the initial three outs.He allowed five hits, two walks and the four runs, which all came with two outs. The Pirates had three stolen bases in the inning as well, sending nine batters to the plate.Andrew McCutchen started his afternoon with a single, and he ended it about 10 feet away from the cycle. The reigning National League MVP went 4-for-5 with two doubles, a triple and two RBIs. McCutchen's second double hit high off the right-field fence, and his triple in the second inning came on a fly ball that landed in left-center field after Tony Gwynn Jr. and Ben Revere collided.Jordy Mercer was the other standout on offense for the Bucs. His two-run single concluded the first-inning scoring, and two more runs scored on his double in the seventh to give him a career-high four RBIs.With a big lead behind him, Cole rifled through the Phillies order. The 23-year-old surrendered only one hit in his five innings, and just three Phillies reached base against him.It was puzzling when he did not appear for the sixth inning, and the team announced the reason shortly afterward. Cole is set to be re-evaluated Saturday, but the lat issue was Cole's second injury problem in the past month. The former No. 1 overall pick missed three and a half weeks in June with right shoulder fatigue.Cole was replaced by Stolmy Pimentel, who struggled to throw strikes. He left the game with the bases loaded and one run across the plate -- all without recording an out. Jared Hughes, on his 29th birthday, bailed out his bullpen mate by inducing a Marlon Byrd double play and striking out Cody Asche to hold the Phillies to two runs.Stephen Pianovich / MLB.com
With just one left-handed hitter in the order (Gregory Polanco), the Pirates struck early off Hernandez -- who entered the game allowing a .264 average to righties compared with a .219 clip for lefties. The Pirates did not have an extra-base hit in the first, but Hernandez labored with 45 pitches to get the initial three outs.He allowed five hits, two walks and the four runs, which all came with two outs. The Pirates had three stolen bases in the inning as well, sending nine batters to the plate.Andrew McCutchen started his afternoon with a single, and he ended it about 10 feet away from the cycle. The reigning National League MVP went 4-for-5 with two doubles, a triple and two RBIs. McCutchen's second double hit high off the right-field fence, and his triple in the second inning came on a fly ball that landed in left-center field after Tony Gwynn Jr. and Ben Revere collided.Jordy Mercer was the other standout on offense for the Bucs. His two-run single concluded the first-inning scoring, and two more runs scored on his double in the seventh to give him a career-high four RBIs.With a big lead behind him, Cole rifled through the Phillies order. The 23-year-old surrendered only one hit in his five innings, and just three Phillies reached base against him.It was puzzling when he did not appear for the sixth inning, and the team announced the reason shortly afterward. Cole is set to be re-evaluated Saturday, but the lat issue was Cole's second injury problem in the past month. The former No. 1 overall pick missed three and a half weeks in June with right shoulder fatigue.Cole was replaced by Stolmy Pimentel, who struggled to throw strikes. He left the game with the bases loaded and one run across the plate -- all without recording an out. Jared Hughes, on his 29th birthday, bailed out his bullpen mate by inducing a Marlon Byrd double play and striking out Cody Asche to hold the Phillies to two runs.Stephen Pianovich / MLB.com
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