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Rockies sink Pirates

Apr 11, 2011 - 2:10 AM Pittsburgh, PA (Sports Network) - Seth Smith walked with the bases loaded in the seventh to force in the go-ahead run, as the Colorado Rockies snuck past the Pittsburgh Pirates, 6-5, in the finale of a four-game series.

Jose Lopez hit a three-run homer for the Rockies, who took three of four in this series to improve their record to 6-2. Smith drove in two runs.

Venezuelan youngster Jhoulys Chacin (2-0) gave up five runs -- four earned -- on seven hits over a six-inning start. He also struck out three and walked two to pick up the win.

Lyle Overbay knocked in two runs for the Pirates, who are off to a 5-5 start.

James McDonald went 6 2/3 innings in the start, allowing five runs on six hits. Mike Crotta (0-1) suffered the loss.

Trailing by one, 5-4, the Rockies used a two-run seventh to take the lead. McDonald was taken out of the game after giving up a two-out single to Dexter Fowler. Crotta came in from the bullpen and walked Jonathan Herrera. Jason Giambi followed with an RBI single to tie the contest. Troy Tulowitzki walked to load the bases. Crotta then walked Smith to force in the go-ahead run.

"Look at the top two guys in their order, look how many times Fowler and Herrera were on base. You put yourself in a bad position," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle explained.

The Pirates stranded a runner on second in the home seventh. Huston Street pitched a perfect ninth for Colorado to pick up his fourth save.

"We've learned over the course of the last two years how important these [games] in April and May show up in September," Street said.

McDonald struggled in the first inning. McDonald walked Herrera and Tulowitzki to put men on first and second with two outs. Smith then hit an RBI single. Lopez followed with a blast over the wall in left to make it 4-0.

The Pirates got a run back in the second. With the bases loaded and one out, Ronny Cedeno hit a sacrifice fly. McDonald went down looking to end the frame.

Pittsburgh used a three-run third to tie the game. Jose Tabata was hit by a pitch and Neil Walker singled. Andrew McCutchen singled to left to knock in a run. Ty Wigginton's fielding error allowed the runners to advance to second and third. Overbay brought both runners home with a double into the gap in right-center field. Chacin got out of the inning without giving up another run to keep it 4-4.

The Pirates went ahead in the fourth. McDonald and Tabata hit back-to-back one-out singles and advanced a base on Chacin's throwing error. Walker grounded out to plate a run and give Pittsburgh a 5-4 margin.

Game Notes

Pittsburgh won four of its seven matchups with the Rockies in 2010, with the teams splitting a four-game set in the Steel City last August...Tabata has hit safely in each of the first 10 games.