The Pittsburgh Pirates played a day game Wednesday at PNC Park, so pitcher Gerrit Cole decided to spend his night down the road at Consol Energy Center, where the Penguins hosted the Washington Capitals in Game 4 of their second-round Stanley Cup playoff series.
Cole’s front-row seat was mere feet from the Capitals’ bench, and the right-hander took full advantage, ruthlessly heckling Alex Ovechkin & Co. between swigs from his tall boy.
Cole’s support of the home team was so intense, in fact, that an usher had to tell him to pipe down — or, at the very least, stop banging on the glass.
Somewhere, New York Jets center Nick Mangold feels Cole’s pain.
The Penguins put on a good show for Cole and the rest of their home crowd, toppling the Capitals 4-3 in overtime to take a commanding 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series. The Pens can clinch a spot in the Eastern Conference finals for the second time in four years with a win Saturday night in Washington.
Cole’s Pirates, meanwhile, haven’t fared as well this week. Thursday’s 6-2 loss to the Chicago Cubs capped a three-game sweep during which Pittsburgh was outscored 20-5. Cole was roughed up in Monday’s series opener, surrendering six runs on six hits and walking four in just 4 2/3 innings of work.
Thumbnail photo via Charles LeClaire/USA TODAY Sports Images
