CINCINNATI -- Raisel Iglesias overcame a lot while earning his first victory of the season on Saturday afternoon.

The Cuban-born right-hander had to deal with wind chills in the 20s and plenty of pressure applied by Pittsburgh Pirates batters.

Iglesias pitched in and out of trouble but allowed just one run in 5 2/3 innings, and third baseman Eugenio Suarez provided some insurance with a two-run homer in the seventh as the Cincinnati Reds defeated Pittsburgh 5-1, handing the Pirates their first loss.

The game-time temperature on Saturday was 38 degrees with a wind-chill of 25 under partly sunny skies.

Iglesias made 18 starts for Cincinnati last season, but pitching in cold weather still is new for him.

"This weather isn't something I'm familiar with," Iglesias said. "Each time there was an out, I was walking around the mound in order to keep my body warm."

Pittsburgh (4-1) went 2-for-10 with runners in scoring position with a chance to improve to 5-0 for the first time since 1983.

Iglesias (1-0) earned his first victory of the season in his second start, allowing eight hits but managing to prevent any extended Pirates rallies.

"Pittsburgh did a great job, especially with two strikes," Reds manager Bryan Price said. "He had to manage the game with runners on base and give us the innings that we needed."

Suarez went 2-for-3 with a homer and three RBIs while scoring each of the three times he reached base for Cincinnati (4-1).

Rust was a concern for right-hander Gerrit Cole, who made only two appearances in spring training due to rib inflammation. He pitched to Double-A batters in extended spring training on April 2 but had not pitched in a game since March 28.

He struggled in the first inning on Saturday, allowing two runs and four hits.

"It was tough for me to get the ball in the (strike) zone consistently," Cole said. "I just tried to grind it. I started getting in a little rhythm for a minute there. You try to put your foot down as best you can."

Leadoff batter Billy Hamilton doubled and scored on a single by Suarez, who later raced home on Jay Bruce's single to put Cincinnati ahead 2-0.

Cole found his rhythm and did not allow another hit until Joey Votto's single in the fifth and retired 10 straight in one stretch.

"He held up really well," manager Clint Hurdle said. "It was his first start. He had to make a lot of pitches. He threw all of his pitches. He maintained his velocity. It's a step in the right direction overall. He just needs to pitch more."

Iglesias, the second Cuban pitcher to start on Opening Day for the Reds, did not have a 1-2-3 inning until the fifth.

The Pirates had runners on first and third with no outs in the second, but Jordy Mercer lined into a double play to end the inning.

Iglesias' best Houdini act, however, came in the fourth when the Pirates loaded the bases with one out but Mercer grounded into an inning-ending double play.

Cincinnati added a run on Brandon Phillips' RBI-single off Arquimedes Caminero in the fifth.

The Pirates finally broke through against Iglesias in the sixth when Josh Harrison singled home Francisco Cervelli to make the score 3-1.

But, yet another rally killer for the Pirates came moments later when Votto turned a 6-3 double play that required replay to confirm the tag on John Jaso at second base.

"Couldn't have been a bigger play," Price said. "The momentum really was with Pittsburgh at that moment. That play by Joey really flipped the switch."

Reds pitchers rode the tight rope all afternoon. But, Pittsburgh could not break through.

It was still a two-run score until Suarez's two-run blast off Kyle Lobstein in the seventh put Cincinnati ahead 5-1. It was his second homer of the season.

"Playing every day is the only way he can grow into that stud we think we think he can be," Price said of Suarez. "I think he's maturing physically. He's a real student of the game."

NOTES: Pirates RHP Gerrit Cole fell to 0-5 in seven career starts against Cincinnati with a 5.30 ERA. ... Reds RHP Tim Melville will make his major league debut on Sunday. A corresponding roster move will be made before the game. ... The Pirates and Reds have combined to hit 73 batters in their matchups over the past four seasons. The 37 hit batsmen by the Pirates are the most for any Cincinnati opponent during that period. ... Entering Saturday's game, the Pirates' bullpen had allowed one earned run in the first 13 innings of the season after posting a major-league leading 2.64 ERA last year.