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Pirates rally past Rockies

Jul 30, 2008 - 1:01 PM By Chris Adamski PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

PITTSBURGH (Ticker) -- The Pittsburgh Pirates aren't letting early deficits get to them against the Colorado Rockies.

Luis Rivas went 3-for-4 and drove in three runs and Nate McLouth had two hits and scored twice as the Pirates came from behind to beat the Rockies for the second night in a row, 6-4, on Tuesday.

Brad Hawpe went 3-for-3, scoring two runs and adding an RBI and Ian Stewart had two hits and two RBI for the Rockies, who have built early 3-0 leads in each of the first two games of this series only to waste them.

"We don't (quit)," Pirates manager John Russell said. "We got down both nights, but we stayed patient and stayed with our approach at the plate and ended up scoring some runs. Our bullpen came in and did a very good job for us holding them down and giving us a chance to keep scoring some runs."

The Rockies picked up three runs in the first against Yoslan Herrera, who has given up eight runs in four first innings. Willy Taveras scored on a single by Hawpe, Matt Holliday was driven in by Garrett Atkins' groundout and Hawpe came home on Stewart's double to center.

But after the rough start, Herrera, a Cuban defector, rebounded. The Rockies' only other run came when Stewart singled in Hawpe in the third. Making his fourth career start, Herrera allowed four runs on six hits and four walks with one strikeout in five-plus innings.

Rivas provided the Pirates' offense against Colorado starter Glendon Rusch with an RBI single that drove in McLouth in the third and a two-run triple in the fifth that scored Herrera and McLouth.

"Every time I see my name in (the lineup), it's a chance to do the best I can to help the team," said Rivas, only playing because Freddy Sanchez is suffering from back spasms. "It feels pretty good when you get to go out there and contribute. If you work hard and play hard, good things come from that."

Rusch allowed three runs on six hits and no walks in five innings and was in line to get the victory until the Pirates scored twice in the sixth off Matt Herges (3-4) to take the lead.

Jason Bay led off with a single and scored on a double by Doug Mientkiewicz after center fielder Taveras misplayed the ball.

Three batters later, Mientkiewicz scored on a sacrifice fly to left by Chris Gomez.

"They stayed in there and battled," Rusch said. "It was real similar to (Monday) night's game. We jumped out early, and they clawed their way back and were able to hold us off in the end. It's frustrating to lose two in the row like that."

Pittsburgh added an insurance run in the seventh when Bay's single scored Rivas.

"When called upon, Louis has had some great games for us," Russell said. "It was a nice all-around game for Louis."

"Those two guys at the top of the lineup killed us today," said Colorado manager Clint Hurdle, referring to lead-off man McLouth and No. 2 Rivas.

Jason Davis (1-0) made his season debut by getting out of a two-on, nobody-out jam in the sixth to earn the victory. Tyler Yates pitched the ninth for his first save this season and fourth of his career.

"The ninth inning is one of the hardest innings to pitch in a game," said Yates, who could be assuming the closer's role with Matt Capps on the disabled list and Damaso Marte traded to the Yankees. "You get pumped. My heart's still racing right now. I kind of like it a lot."