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Sanchez, Pirates rally past Rockies

Aug 21, 2007 - 5:34 AM DENVER (Ticker) -- Freddy Sanchez had an RBI single in the 11th inning and the Pittsburgh Pirates won their third straight game with a 4-2 victory over the Colorado Rockies on Monday night.

The Pirates started their seven-game road trip on a winning note as Sanchez singled to center to score Cesar Izturis to give Pittsburgh a 3-2 lead. Matt Kata scored later in the inning when Jason Bay was safe at first on a throwing error by Garrett Atkins to make it 4-2.

Matt Capps came on in the 11th and struck out one in a perfect frame for his 12th save of the season. Damaso Marte (2-0) nearly made a mess of the 10th inning, walking two, but he retired one batter to pick up the win.

Brian Fuentes (0-5) took the loss. He allowed two runs, one hit and one walk in 2/3 of an inning.

Fuentes' struggles capped a lousy performance by the Colorado bullpen and ruined a strong outing by rookie starter Ubaldo Jimenez.

"He pitched extremely well," Colorado Rockies manager Clint Hurdle said. "Even the way he finished the sixth inning and the seventh inning. He showed poise when he got traffic on base and he made pitches. Another fine outing for him. It was very good to see."

Pittsburgh jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning but that was all it could muster against Jimenez.

Kata tripled down the line in right and scored on a groundout by Sanchez.

Brad Hawpe pulled the Rockies even in the fourth with an RBI single. Troy Tulowitzki hit a solo home run in the seventh to give Colorado a 2-1 lead.

"That definitely hurt," Tulowitzki said. "Any time you lose a game late when you have a lead, especially it's been happening a little lately, it definitely hurts. We've still got some time, but, we're running out."

Jimenez worked around a leadoff double by Adam LaRoche to protect the lead in the seventh. He allowed one run and five hits with four strikeouts. Jimenez did not walk a batter inturning in his second consecutive stellar effort. He pitched six scoreless innings with a season-high nine strikeouts in Wednesday's 3-0 win over the San Diego Padres.

The Rockies brought on LaTroy Hawkins in the eighth, opening the door for the Pirates to get back in the game, and they did. Josh Phelps hit a one-out homer to left field to tie the game 2-2.

"Josh Phelps had a huge hit off the bench and has been big for us ever since joining the club," Pirates manager Jim Tracy said. "Sanchez had a big at-bat as well. He has done that three or four times in the past few days."

"I was looking for a pitch that I could handle and it stayed up long enough to get out of the park," Phelps said. "Pinch hitting is a difficult job because you only get one chance, you need a little luck up there too."

Pittsburgh starter Matt Morris was nearly as effective as Jimenez, allowing two runs and seven hits in 6 2/3 innings.

"I haven't been in a game like that in a while," Morris said. "It was good to make pitches, I've been struggling a little and just trying to stay focused out there. The team fought hard to the end. It seems like if we have a chance, were going to pull it off."