OAKLAND, Calif. — The last time Gerrit Cole took the mound before Friday, he was unhittable early and then issued the Intentional Walk Heard ’Round the World, which sent his outing into a tailspin.
After having to wait five long days to pitch again, with plenty of second-guessing in between, Cole finally got a chance for redemption — as much as it can be gained facing one of the worst teams in the league.
The result was his best start of the year, pitching into the seventh inning for the first time this season — then the eighth and ninth, too.
And only after Cole completed nine innings did his offense finally wake up — with some heroics from Juan Soto — to reward him with the win…