PITTSBURGH (AP) _ Gerrit Cole shut down baseball’s top-hitting team, allowing just one run in six-plus innings as the Pittsburgh Pirates handed the Detroit Tigers their first loss of the season, 5-4 on Monday.
The Tigers were trying to match the 7-0 start set by the 1984 club that went on to win the World Series.
Cole (1-0) struck out eight and walked two while giving up only three hits, helping the Pirates win their second straight home opener.
Josh Harrison, Pedro Alvarez and Corey Hart all homered for Pittsburgh. The Pirates have won three of four after getting swept by Cincinnati to open the season last week.
J.D. Martinez hit a two-run homer off Pittsburgh closer Mark Melancon in the ninth, but a late Detroit rally came up short.
Anibal Sanchez (1-1) surrendered five runs in 6 1-3 innings. Miguel Cabrera went 2 for 4 with an RBI.
