Red Sox 2 - 3 Pirates
Final
  for this game

Cole tries to pitch Pirates to sweep of Red Sox

Sep 18, 2014 - 2:29 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - Gerrit Cole eyes his third straight win on Thursday when the Pittsburgh Pirates attempt to complete a three-game sweep of the Boston Red Sox at PNC Park.

Cole has beaten the Chicago Cubs the last two times he has taken the hill and allowed three runs and five hits in six innings on Friday against them to improve to 9-5 on the year to go along with a 3.92 ERA.

He's now 6-1 with a 3.04 ERA and 57 strikeouts over 50 1/3 innings in eight career starts in September. Of course, he was 4-0 in five starts last September to help the Pirates reach the playoffs for the first time in 21 years.

The Pirates have also won eight of his 10 starts in the Steel City this season.

Pittsburgh continued to push toward its second straight postseason appearance on Wednesday, as Gregory Polanco, Neil Walker and Ike Davis homered as the Pirates beat the Red Sox, 9-1.

Clint Barmes went 3-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored for the Pirates, who won for the 10th time in 12 tries and strengthened its wild card lead to 2 1/2 games over the Milwaukee Brewers.

Milwaukee lost to St. Louis on Wednesday which kept the Bucs 2 1/2 games behind the Cardinals in the National League Central.

Francisco Liriano (6-10) allowed one run on three hits while striking out five over six innings to win his third straight start.

Xander Bogaerts drove in the lone run for the Red Sox, who saw starter Clay Buchholz (8-9) give up five runs -- four earned -- on six hits over four innings. The right-hander had a three-start winning streak snapped.

Rusney Castillo went 1-for-4 in his MLB debut. Projected as Boston's leadoff hitter of the future, the Cuban Castillo signed a seven-year, $72.5 million deal on Aug. 23. He batted seventh and started in center field on Wednesday.

"I'm pretty satisfied with that being my first game," said Castillo. "Obviously you'd like a better outcome in terms of winning the game. But I was pretty satisfied with my overall approach and the way I stepped in today and had some results. Overall, satisfied."

Getting the call for Boston on Thursday will be righty Brandon Workman, who has lost nine straight decisions and is 1-9 on the year with a 5.27 ERA. Workman was awful last Wednesday against Baltimore, as he allowed six runs (5 earned) and six hits in just three innings.

He has allowed 15 earned runs in his last three outings, spanning 12 1/3 innings.

The Red Sox have lost their last 11 games in which Workman has made an appearance.

These two clubs are playing a series for the first time since the Pirates won two of three in Pittsburgh during the 2011 season.






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