MLB Player News

Pirates right-hander Gerrit Cole matched a season-long with eight innings pitched and hung on for a victory Wednesday against the visiting Giants.

Cole blanked San Francisco after a Brandon Belt two-run double chopped his lead to 4-3 in the fifth. He finished having yielded three runs on seven hits with one walk and seven strikeouts. His only pest was Belt, who also slammed a home run in the first.

The Pirates have two days off before his next start, which will come at some point next week in Milwaukee.

Despite walking a season-high five batters, Mets starting pitcher Zack Wheeler had one of his best starts of the season Wednesday at Miami. It was just too bad he got no run support and took a no-decision.

Wheeler fired a season-best six scoreless innings, lowering his ERA from 5.13 to 4.35. He allowed two hits and struck out seven batters. He's managed at least six strikeouts in five of seven starts.

Wheeler retired nine batters in a row at one point before issuing a two-out walk to Giancarlo Stanton in the fourth inning. Casey McGehee followed with a single before Wheeler got Garrett Jones to fly out to center field to end the threat.

Wheeler almost lost control of the game when he issued two walks to begin the sixth inning. He then got Giancarlo Stanton to ground into a double play before walking McGehee. But once again Wheeler got out of trouble by retiring Jones -- this time on a groundout to first base.

The right-handed hurler is 0-1 in his last four starts. He will look to get back into the win column in his next outing Tuesday against the Yankees.

Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said he will not alter his rotation following a rain-shortened outing Monday for starting pitcher Zack Greinke. Mattingly said "everyone will stay on turn."

Josh Beckett is still slated to start Thursday's series opener against the Giants. He will be followed by Paul Maholm, Greinke and Clayton Kershaw.

Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson said Wednesday he is "leaning toward" having pitcher Chase Anderson start Sunday's game against the White Sox, per The Arizona Republic.

Anderson was 4-2 with a 0.69 ERA and 0.72 WHIP in six starts for Double-A Mobile prior to his promotion Tuesday. He struck out 38 batters and walked six in 39 innings.

Dodgers pitching coach Rick Honeycutt told MLB Network Radio the team will know more about the status of starting pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu on Wednesday. Honeycutt added the team believes Ryu is dealing with just tendinitis and should be back soon.

Rockies pitcher Juan Nicasio gave up just one earned run in five innings Tuesday while giving up two hits, striking out one and walking five in his team's 12-1 win over the Rangers.

Nicasio (4-1) surrendered a solo home run in the top of the first inning and then held the Rangers scoreless despite dishing out one walk in the third, two in the fourth and two more in the fifth. He owns a 3.89 ERA and 27:13 K:BB ratio in 39 1/3 innings. Nicasio gets the Reds in Cincinnati Sunday.

Cubs pitcher Neil Ramirez was charged with a loss Tuesday after giving up one earned run on two hits -- one a home run -- and striking out one for his only out in his team's 5-1 loss to the White Sox.

Ramirez (0-1) watched the White Sox break a 1-1 tie by serving up a solo home run to Gordon Beckham. It was his first run allowed in five appearances this season while posting a 2.25 ERA and 7:1 K:BB ratio in four innings.

Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw was his typically dominant self in his return to the rotation Tuesday, tossing seven scoreless innings while giving up nine hits, striking out nine and walking none in his team's 8-3 win over the Nationals.

Kershaw (2-0) was making just his second start of the season after recovering from a back injury. He owns a 0.66 ERA and 16:1 K:BB ratio in 13 2/3 innings. Kershaw is lined up to take on the Giants at home Sunday.

Phillies pitcher Cole Hamels surrendered five earned runs on 10 hits and one walk in six innings while striking out six and giving up two home runs Tuesday, but he didn't factor into the decision in his team's 6-5 loss to the Blue Jays.

Hamels entered the bottom of the sixth down 5-0 but his offense delivered him a no-decision by evening things up before he was pulled. It's his second straight disappointing start in a row. Hamels owns a 7.02 ERA and 14:7 K:BB ratio in 16 2/3 innings. He'll sqaure off with the Mets in New York Sunday.

Pirates pitcher Charlie Morton didn't factor into the decision Tuesday after giving up just one unearned run on three hits and two walks in eight innings while striking out three in his team's 2-1 win over the Giants.

Morton broke a streak of four straight losses with a no-decision that deserved to be a win, with his only unearned blemish coming on a sacrifice fly in the second inning. He owns a 3.45 ERA and 28:16 K:BB ratio in 44 1/3 innings. Morton is on track to face the Brewers Tuesday after two off-days for the Pirates, though the team could consider bumping him up to Sunday if it wants to give the rehabbing Wandy Rodriguez a little extra time.