Pittsburgh Pirates series takeaways vs Cincinnati Reds

Aug 1, 2015; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Reds relief pitcher Aroldis Chapman (54) is congratulated by catcher Brayan Pena (29) after the Reds defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates 4-3 at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports

Game Three: Gerrit Cole (14-4, 2.24 ERA) vs. Raisel Iglesias (1-3, 5.53 ERA)

Result: Pirates lose 4-3

Winning Pitcher: Raisel Iglesias (2-3, 5.13 ERA)

Losing Pitcher: Gerrit Cole (14-5, 2.29 ERA)

Save: Aroldis Chapman (22, 1.81 ERA)

• What went right:
  • Gregory Polanco had another good game from the lead-off spot, going 2-4 with a walk.
  • Jung Ho Kang just keeps hitting. He went 1-4 with a home run, a run scored, and an RBI.
  • Neil Walker had a pretty solid ballgame, going 2-4 with two runs scored.
  • Francisco Cervelli had a pinch-hit RBI in the ninth inning.

• What went wrong:
  • Gerrit Cole continues to have trouble with the Reds. He didn’t have a particularly bad start, but the standards of an ace are different. He lasted only five innings, allowed three runs (two earned) on seven hits, and struck out eight.
  • The Pirates struggled with a rookie pitcher again, as Iglesias went 6.2 innings, allowed two runs on four hits, and struck out five.
  • Eugenio Suarez had a pretty big game, going 1-2 with three RBIs.
  • Billy Hamilton did his usual thing against the Pirates, going 1-3 with two stolen bases.

Gerrit Cole continued to struggle against the Reds and the Pirates found themselves on the brink of a series loss. They turned to Ground Chuck to leave Cincinnati with a series split.

Next: Game Four: Charlie Morton vs. Keyvius Sampson