Final
Pirates-Rockies Preview
Jun 21, 2009 - 5:44 AM By SANTOSH VENKATARAMAN STATS Senior WriterPittsburgh (31-36) at Colorado (34-33), 3:10 p.m. EDT
The surging Colorado Rockies look to close out their nine-game homestand with a fifth straight victory Sunday when they try to complete a three-game sweep of the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Colorado (35-33) has won 15 of its last 16 games, bringing back memories of its run at the end of the 2007 season in which it won 14 of its final 15 to gain the NL wild card. The Rockies went on to reach their first World Series that year.
Todd Helton was the hero in Saturday's 9-7 win, hitting a game-winning, two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth as the Rockies rallied from a three-run deficit in the eighth. Helton is 5 for 9 with four runs scored in this series.
"We're doing some great things," Helton said. "We're playing well, pitching deep into the game and getting hits."
Colorado has won six straight at home over Pittsburgh (31-37), and is 17-5 since former Pirates manager Jim Tracy took over for the fired Clint Hurdle on May 29.
"That's an incredible win right there, an incredible win," Tracy said. "We obviously had to do some very special things to win."
Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki is 2 for 6 with three runs in this series, and has worn out the Pirates in his career. He's hit safely in all 15 games versus Pittsburgh, going 25 for 56 (.446) with 12 runs scored and seven RBIs.
The Pirates have lost three straight as they wasted the second four-hit performance of Nyjer Morgan's career Saturday. Pittsburgh's bullpen gave up a season-high seven runs over 3 1-3 innings.
"This was a tough loss, but we've already had a lot of tough losses this year," Pittsburgh manager John Russell said. "We swung the bats better tonight, but unfortunately our bullpen couldn't hold them."
Impressive Pirates rookie Andrew McCutchen extended his hitting streak to nine games Saturday with a three-run triple in the seventh inning. The center fielder is hitting .329 with 13 RBIs in 16 games.
Both teams will start left-handers Sunday.
Paul Maholm (4-3, 4.23 ERA) will pitch for Pittsburgh for the first time since his worst outing of 2009. He gave up season highs of eight runs and 14 hits over five-plus innings Tuesday in an 8-2 loss at Minnesota.
"It was just throwing balls thigh high rather than getting them down and getting ground balls at guys," Maholm said. "I wish I could've gone out there and gotten at least through six, if not seven, with the four or five runs, but it happens."
Maholm is 1-2 with a 3.60 ERA in four career starts versus Colorado. He also has a 5.77 ERA on the road compared to a 1.83 ERA at home this year.
Colorado's Jorge De La Rosa (2-7, 5.81) is still searching for his first win this year at Coors Field, where he is 0-5 with an 8.28 ERA in six outings. That includes Tuesday's 12-4 loss to Tampa Bay in which he gave up seven runs over a season-low 2 1-3 innings.
De La Rosa is 2-1 with a 3.66 ERA against Pittsburgh in seven career appearances, including three starts.
- NL
FINAL
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
- - - - - - - - - - - -
PITTSBURGH 1 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 4 7 1
COLORADO 0 3 1 1 0 0 0 0 x 5 11 1 (FINAL)
BATTERIES: PIT - PAUL MAHOLM, JEFF KARSTENS (6TH), STEVEN JACKSON (8TH) AND
ROBINZON DIAZ
COL - JORGE DE LA ROSA, JOSH FOGG (6TH), RANDY FLORES
(7TH), JOEL PERALTA (8TH), HUS
Jun 21 6:13 PM - NL
AT COLORADO - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY BRANDON MOSS SCORED ROBINZON DIAZ.
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, B MOSS ON FIRST, J WILSON ON THIRD, 2 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: PITTSBURGH 4
COLORADO 5 TOP, 6TH
DUE UP FOR PITTSBURGH: A MCCUTCHEN (.342, 2-FOR-3)
Pirates 4, Rockies 5 Top 6, 0 OutsJun 21 5:05 PM - NL
AT COLORADO - SCORING UPDATE
SOLO HOME RUN BY CLINT BARMES (8) TO LEFT WITH 1 OUT IN THE
4TH OFF PAUL MAHOLM.
CURRENT SCORE: PITTSBURGH 3, COLORADO 5
DUE UP FOR COLORADO: R SPILBORGHS (.273, 1-FOR-1, SAC, RBI)
Pirates 3, Rockies 5 Bot 4, 0 OutsJun 21 4:32 PM - NL
AT COLORADO - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY GARRETT ATKINS SCORED TROY TULOWITZKI.
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, G ATKINS ON SECOND, 0 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: PITTSBURGH 3
COLORADO 4 BOTTOM, 3RD
DUE UP FOR COLORADO: I STEWART (.230, 0-FOR-1)
Pirates 3, Rockies 4 Bot 3, 0 OutsJun 21 4:15 PM - NL
AT COLORADO - SCORING UPDATE
DOUBLE BY RYAN SPILBORGHS SCORED CLINT BARMES.
SITUATION: 3 RUNS IN, R SPILBORGHS ON SECOND, 2 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: PITTSBURGH 3
COLORADO 3 BOTTOM, 2ND
DUE UP FOR COLORADO: B HAWPE (.336, 0-FOR-1)
Pirates 3, Rockies 3 Bot 2, 0 OutsJun 21 4:04 PM - NL
AT COLORADO - SCORING UPDATE
DOUBLE BY CLINT BARMES SCORED DEXTER FOWLER.
SITUATION: 2 RUNS IN, C BARMES ON SECOND, 2 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: PITTSBURGH 3
COLORADO 2 BOTTOM, 2ND
DUE UP FOR COLORADO: R SPILBORGHS (.269, 0-FOR-0, SAC)
Pirates 3, Rockies 2 Bot 2, 0 OutsJun 21 4:03 PM - NL
AT COLORADO - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY DEXTER FOWLER SCORED PAUL PHILLIPS.
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, D FOWLER ON SECOND, 2 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: PITTSBURGH 3
COLORADO 1 BOTTOM, 2ND
DUE UP FOR COLORADO: C BARMES (.286, 0-FOR-0, BB)
Pirates 3, Rockies 1 Bot 2, 0 OutsJun 21 4:02 PM - NL
AT COLORADO - SCORING UPDATE
TWO-RUN HOME RUN BY FREDDY SANCHEZ (6) TO LEFT WITH 2 OUT
IN THE 2ND OFF JORGE DE LA ROSA SCORED ANDREW MCCUTCHEN.
CURRENT SCORE: PITTSBURGH 3, COLORADO 0
DUE UP FOR PITTSBURGH: D YOUNG (.352, 0-FOR-0, HBP)
Pirates 3, Rockies 0 Top 2, 0 OutsJun 21 3:50 PM - NL
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
- - - - - - - - - - - -
PITTSBURGH 1 1 2 0
COLORADO 0 0 0 (BOT 1)
CURRENT PITCHERS: PIT - PAUL MAHOLM
COL - JORGE DE LA ROSA
DUE UP FOR COLORADO: D FOWLER (.258, 3 HR, 17 RBI)
C BARMES (.286, 7 HR, 35 RBI)
R SPILBORGHS (.269, 5 HR
Pirates 1, Rockies 0 Bot 1, 0 OutsJun 21 3:25 PM
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