Rockies 2 - 4 Pirates
Final
  for this game

Pirates top Rockies on Snider's double

Jul 19, 2014 - 5:57 AM Pittsburgh, PA (SportsNetwork.com) - Pinch-hitter Travis Snider drove in the winning run in the eighth inning to help the Pittsburgh Pirates grab a 4-2 victory over the Colorado Rockies in the opening contest of a three-game set.

Starling Marte drove in two runs, Gaby Sanchez had two hits and an RBI, while Gregory Polanco had two hits and scored once for the Pirates, who had dropped five of seven going into the All-Star break.

Francisco Liriano pitched five innings and gave up just one unearned run on three hits and three walks with eight strikeouts. Tony Watson (6-1) tossed a scoreless eighth for the win.

Corey Dickerson and DJ LeMahieu each drove in a run for the Rockies, who have lost their past three.

Jorge De La Rosa lasted six innings and gave up a run on four hits and three walks with two strikeouts. Matt Belisle (2-5) was charged with two runs in the eighth inning to get tagged with the loss.

"It's a tough loss today, especially after the way we were playing," De La Rosa said.

With Belisle on the mound, Neil Walker singled and Sanchez followed with a base hit to center. Snider then doubled in Walker and Josh Harrison later added a sacrifice fly for a 4-2 lead.

"One of the things we continue to talk about with all the pinch-hitters is the fact that you don't need to carry the weight of anything up there," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. "You have a chance to do good. There's no lose, there's no down side."

Mark Melancon pitched around a leadoff single in the ninth for his 17th save of the season.

In the Rockies' second, Charlie Culberson reached base with a single and LeMahieu followed with a sharp grounder to short that Jordy Mercer couldn't handle. De La Rosa then reached base with a bunt down the third base line, and Dickerson's hard-hit grounder to short was again bobbled by Mercer, who got the out at second as Culberson scored for a 1-0 lead.

With two outs in the fifth, Polanco beat out an infield single to keep the inning alive. Marte then hit a grounder down the third base line that Dickerson misplayed and the ball rolled to the wall.

Polanco made it home to tie the game and Marte decided to go for home despite the third base coach signaling him to hold up. Dickerson got the ball to Troy Tulowitzki, who then fired it to Wilin Rosario to nail Marte at the plate and end the inning.

The Rockies, though, took the lead back in the sixth. With two outs, Rosario reached base on a bad throw from Pedro Alvarez and Culberson followed with a single. LeMahieu then singled Rosario home for a 2-1 lead.

In the seventh, Mercer singled with one out and moved to second on a wild pitch from Rex Brothers. Harrison then reached base on a bad throw from Nolan Arenado and Polanco singled to load the bases.

Colorado brought out Adam Ottavino to pitch, but he hit Marte in the helmet with a pitch to force in the tying run.

Game Notes

This was the first of six games between the two clubs over the next 10 days, as the Rockies will host the Pirates for three games starting next Friday ... Colorado took four of six games against Pittsburgh last season ... Colorado was 2-for-10 with runners in scoring position and left 11 men on base, while Pittsburgh was 2-for-11 with RISP and stranded nine.






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