Few style points for Cole, but positive results in 2017 debut

PHILADELPHIA - A.J. Cole knows his final line Saturday night was not entirely reflective of the way he pitched. He and the Nationals also know style points weren't important in this one. Positive results were of far greater consequence.

"I was always fighting the whole game, really trying to get ahead of hitters and throw strikes," the right-hander said. "And a lot of times, I was getting behind, which made it pretty difficult for me. But like I said, you have the defense behind me making plays, which also made it easier. It helped me settle in a little bit."

Cole did benefit from some superb defense behind him, with Ryan Zimmerman, Anthony Rendon, Jayson Werth and Michael A. Taylor all making highlight-reel plays. But all of them together helped produce a pitching line that included six innings and only one run allowed, which is just what the doctor ordered on this night.

"He threw a pretty good game," manager Dusty Baker said. "I would've liked to have seen his balls-to-strikes ratio better, because he was almost 1-to-1. But that's what your defense is for. ... The main thing is, we won the game."

Cole, who threw only 58 of his 109 pitches for strikes, was credited with the win, only the second in a career that has to date included 12 big league games (10 starts).

He was summoned from Triple-A to make this start after the Nationals decided to demote the struggling Joe Ross (who was roughed up for seven earned runs in five innings with Syracuse on Saturday afternoon). First, though, Cole had to serve the final three games of the five-game suspension he received late last September for intentionally throwing at the Pirates' Jung Ho Kang.

That made for an awkward 72 hours, with Cole allowed to be in the clubhouse and in uniform for early workouts but not allowed to remain there during games.

"It's a different situation," he said. "But I got called up here, I'm always going to be ready for whatever they need me to do. I go out every day and do my stuff, stay ready."

It remains to be seen what the Nationals have in store for Cole next. They'll need somebody to start Thursday night's finale of the Battle of the Beltways against the Orioles, and that start will likely go either to Cole or to Jacob Turner (who has emerged as an unlikely fireman in the bullpen in the last week).