Pittsburgh Pirates Give Clint Hurdle 300th Win With Team

Jul 23, 2014; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman Josh Harrison (5) greets right fielder Gregory Polanco (25) after Polanco scored on a bases loaded walk against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the first inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

The Pittsburgh Pirates avoided a sweep against the Colorado Rockies winning 7-5 to post a 1-2 record through three of the first 10 games on a West Coast road trip.

Pittsburgh [55-49] scored the first two runs of the game in the second inning. The Pirates had the bases loaded after pitcher Edinson Volquez walked and Josh Harrison made the Rockies [43-61] pay with a single scoring Jordy Mercer. The next batter, Gregory Polanco, hit a sacrifice fly which scored Chris Stewart.

D.J. LeMahieu ensured the Rockies would not leave the inning trailing by two runs as he took a Volquez pitch and singled to center field to score Wilin Rosario cutting the deficit in half. Colorado had a three run fourth inning. Rosario reached base when Pedro Alvarez committed his 23rd error of the season. Brandon Barnes was next up and homered to left field to give the Rockies a lead. Three batters later, Charlie Blackmon doubled in LeMahieu.

Neither starter made it through five innings as Colorado’s Franklin Morales went four innings throwing 99 pitches and allowing two runs. Volquez went 4 1/3 innings also throwing 99 pitches and allowed the two runs.

The Rockies bullpen which statistically the worst in the National League proved why again Sunday. In the sixth inning, with Chad Bettis on the mound, Stewart singled and that brought up pinch hitter Travis Snider. Snider, a key reason why the Pirates are second in all of baseball in pinch hits this season launched his sixth home run of the season to tie the game. After Harrison singled, Manager Walt Weiss called on Tommy Kahnle to prevent any additional damage.

Harrison would attempt to steal second with Polanco at the plate and when Rosario threw, the Pirate left fielder’s foot slid past the bag causing a run down. In a similar situation to June 27, when Harrison somehow avoided being tagged out against the New York Mets, he continued to evade the Rockies infield. Finally with Rosario backing up the play, Harrison moved to his left and as Rosario tried throwing to third base, lost both his balance and the baseball. Harrison ended up nearly sprinting home with no one left to cover home plate, but decided to stay on third. He would score two batters later when Ike Davis doubled to right.

Tony Watson [7-1] came in to try and hold the lead in the seventh inning, but with one out Nolan Arenado hit a 427-foot shot to center field to tie the game.

Rex Brothers [3-5] would pitch the top half of the eighth inning but was greeted by Harrison and Polanco hitting back to back homers, their sixth and fifth respectively. That would be all the Pirates needed as Mark Melancon earned his 19th save of the season after a nine pitch ninth inning.

The West Coast swing will continue in San Francisco Monday as Vance Worley [3-1 3.10 ERA] takes on Madison Bumgarner [12-7 3.19 ERA].