Cole loses for 1st time since May 22

The unthinkable happened: Gerrit Cole lost a game.

Entering Tuesday, the Houston Astros right-hander had gone 19-0 with a 1.59 ERA and 258 strikeouts in 25 starts since May 27. His last loss came on May 22 when the Astros fell to the Chicago White Sox.

Before narrowly dropping Game 1 of the World Series against the Washington Nationals 5-4, the Astros hadn't lost a game Cole started since July 12 when he was credited with a no-decision.

The normally lights-out Cole allowed five earned runs on eight hits and a walk while striking out six over seven innings of work. He hadn't allowed four runs in a game since Aug. 28, and it was only the third time in 2019 an opponent plated five or more in a Cole outing.

He was staked to an early lead, too, as Yuli Gurriel drove in two runners on a double in the first inning. Solo home runs by Ryan Zimmerman and Juan Soto tied the game, and a three-run fifth inning sealed Cole's - and Houston's - fate.