PHILADELPHIA -- With the offense inconsistent and the postseason fading from view, Gerrit Cole took matters into his own hands.

The Pittsburgh starter gave up two runs in the first inning and then settled in, going six strong innings while also providing the eventual game-winning hit in the Pirates' 5-2 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday night at Citizens Bank Park.

"He basically Little Leagued the guys tonight," Pirates skipper Clint Hurdle said.

The Pirates (39-46) hit Phillies starter Ben Lively hard in the first three innings, but several long fly balls fell just short of the wall. They finally got to him in the fourth, when a John Jaso single, a Josh Bell triple and a David Freese sacrifice fly tied the score at 2.

Lively then played a large role in his own demise, issuing a two-out walk to Francisco Cervelli and allowing Jordy Mercer to reach on a dribbler by throwing high to first base, loading the bases.

"I just caught it, I looked up, thought (Mercer) was further down the line than he was, and I just rushed it," Lively said. "(I) felt really good tonight ... just let that one inning get away from me."

Cole made his counterpart pay, lacing a two-run single up the middle to break open the game. Those were his first two RBIs of the season and his 13th and 14th in his five years in the majors.

"I wasn't trying to do much," he said. "Obviously, a single works there. I was trying to work the count and not be too aggressive because his pitch count was high. I just hit it up the middle."

The Pirates tacked on a run in the sixth inning on an RBI triple by Mercer.

Cole (7-7) picked up the win, giving up two runs and seven hits, throwing 75 of his 113 pitches for strikes. He walked one and struck out eight, including all three outs in the sixth inning.

The home run Cole gave up in the second inning to Maikel Franco was his 19th allowed on the season -- already eight more than last year -- but he didn't let that bother him.

"He gave us the outing we needed tonight," Hurdle said. "Fastball velocity was real tonight. He stayed strong and finished strong."

Felipe Rivero, who turned 26 on Wednesday, pitched around a one-out single for his fifth save of the season.

The Phillies (28-55) out-hit the Pirates 10-8 but couldn't plate the runs necessary to mount a comeback.

Leadoff hitter Daniel Nava went 3-for-4 to raise his average to .313, but his team went 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position and left eight men on base.

"We just couldn't push runs across once again," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "Twice tonight we had a man on third base with less than two outs and couldn't get him in. We just can't string together enough hits to score some crooked numbers."

Philadelphia's best chance came in the seventh inning, with runners at second and third and one out, but Pittsburgh right fielder Gregory Polanco completed a double play on a fly ball with a rocket strike to the plate to end the inning.

"That was a great throw, man," Cole said. "Big out. Definitely locked down the momentum on our side."

Lively (1-4) departed after giving up five hits and four runs (two earned) in four innings. He threw 52 of his 84 pitches for strikes. Lively is still looking for his first win since his major league debut on June 3.

The Phillies plated two in the first inning on a two-run homer by Franco, who placed a 2-2 breaking ball five rows deep in the left field bleachers for his 12th home run of the season.

NOTES: The four-game series culminates Thursday with Phillies RHP Jeremy Hellickson (5-5, 4.48 ERA) going against Pittsburgh RHP Chad Kuhl (2-6, 5.26). ... The Phillies took the series opener 4-0 before the Pirates responded with a 3-0 win on Tuesday. ... The Pirates are 27-14 against the Phillies since 2012 in the intrastate rivalry. ... Phillies 1B Tommy Joseph collected his first career triple in the third inning, a line drive off the center field wall.