Gerrit Cole’s season got off to a frustrating start Friday, and that was before he even threw a pitch.
But even after waiting for Billy Crystal to get off his mound, issuing a four-pitch walk to start the game and then giving up three runs in the first inning, Cole settled down to give the Yankees a chance to eventually beat the Red Sox, 6-5, in 11 innings on Opening Day in The Bronx.
Still not fully built up because of a shortened spring training, Cole threw just four innings while making his third straight Opening Day start in pinstripes, but didn’t let a rough first inning sink the Yankees.
“Just tough settling in,” Cole said. “Obviously the first four pitches were not really competitive. Then I got burned on a couple pretty good fastball locations in the first. They put some good swings on it. Fortunately we were able to settle in after that and give us a chance to win.”
With the pomp and circumstance of Opening Day, finishing with Crystal throwing out the ceremonial first pitch, the game started four minutes later than originally scheduled. Cole was shown on camera visibly upset by the pregame scene bleeding over into his routine, appearing to shout, “Let’s f–king go!” while standing on the top step of the dugout.
“That was an unforeseen challenge,” Cole said. “Festivities got a little away from the schedule.
“It’s like you expect something and then you don’t get it.”
Cole eventually took the mound and walked Kiké Hernandez on four pitches, then gave up a two-run home run to Rafael Devers on a 99 mph fastball at the top of the zone.
Xander Bogaerts then roped a single and came around to score on a double sprayed to the opposite field by J.D. Martinez. That made it 3-0 Red Sox as boos rained down on Cole before he recorded an out, offering flashbacks to the last time he faced Boston in the wild-card game at Fenway Park last October.
But Cole settled down from there, retiring 11 of the next 13 batters he faced to get him through the fourth inning on 68 pitches. Cole, who had thrown 64 pitches in his final start of the spring, struck out three, walked one and gave up four hits.
“Obviously a very tough way to start your season,” manager Aaron Boone said. “But I think he embodied what we were today. He didn’t fold the tent. Could have been a not get out of the first inning [game], the way it was going, and he settled in and started executing pitches. I thought he pitched really well the rest of the way.”
