Pirate outfielder Starling Marte, center, gets doused with champagne by Jose Tabata, left, and hitting coach Jeff Branson as the team celebrates clinching a playoff berth Tuesday night in Atlanta.

ATLANTA — Gerrit Cole was so focused on recording 17 consecutive outs, he didn't glance at the out-of-town scoreboard.

Cole insisted he didn't know his win over Atlanta had clinched a playoff spot for Pittsburgh until he walked into the clubhouse and saw the lockers covered in plastic.

The surging Pirates earned their second straight trip to the postseason with a 3-2 victory over the free-falling Braves on Tuesday night.

Cole gave up two runs in the first two innings and then didn't allow another baserunner.

The Pirates' win combined with Milwaukee's loss to Cincinnati assured Pittsburgh of no worse than an NL wild card.

“I didn't have any idea until I came in here,” Cole said.

Pittsburgh also moved within 1 1/2 games of NL Central leader St. Louis, which lost to the Chicago Cubs in 10 innings.

The Pirates wrapped up their postseason berth exactly one year after clinching a place in the 2013 playoffs to end a 21-year drought.

“I think it establishes our presence in this league that we're not going to go away,” Cole said.

The Pirates reacted to the final out on Tuesday with little emotion. Players exchanged high-fives in a line on the field before sharing hugs in front of their dugout. The emotions flowed with champagne and beer in the clubhouse.

Andrew McCutchen, last year's NL MVP and a contender again this season, wore big ski goggles as he held a bottle of champagne in one hand and lit a big victory cigar.

McCutchen, who had two hits and scored the go-ahead run in the sixth, already had his focus on bigger goals.

“To celebrate is fun, but we've still got to take care of business,” he said.

Starling Marte gave Pittsburgh the lead with a sixth-inning double that drove in McCutchen.

The Pirates have won 11 of 13.

“We didn't panic,” McCutchen said. “That's what's good about this team.”

Cole (11-5) trailed 2-0 after two innings but didn't allow another runner through seven innings. That allowed the Pirates to rally against Alex Wood (11-11).

Travis Snider's 12th homer tied the game in the fifth.

Cole allowed two runs and four hits with eight strikeouts.

Jared Hughes pitched a scoreless eighth. Left-hander Tony Watson gave up a one-out single to Phil Gosselin in the ninth, but he got Freddie Freeman to hit into a game-ending double play to earn his second save.