Pirates 6 - 1 Rockies
Final
  for this game

Pirates-Rockies Preview

Apr 25, 2016 - 4:18 AM Unlike Colorado, the Pittsburgh Pirates came out on top in a high-scoring game to close out this past weekend.

The Pirates have also earned plenty of victories in recent matchups with the Rockies and will try for a franchise-best sixth consecutive win in Denver on Monday night.

Pittsburgh (10-9) blew a four-run lead Sunday in Arizona before winning 12-10 in 13 innings. Sean Rodriguez delivered the tiebreaking double in the Pirates' third win in four games.

"We had some things that didn't go our way, had some bad luck, but we persevered at the end. That's what it's all about," reliever Kyle Lobstein said.

Pittsburgh will seek to wrap up its 10-game Western road trip by adding to a 7-1 record from its last eight matchups against Colorado. The Pirates have won their last five games at Coors Field - matching a streak from 1998-2000 - while batting .371 and outscoring the Rockies 40-22.

They are heading into this four-game set having batted .311 with 47 runs in their last seven contests.

Colorado (9-9) has lost four of five after blowing a three-run lead in a 12-10 defeat to the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday. The Rockies scored five in the eighth inning to take command but closer Jake McGee gave up five in the ninth in his first blown save in five chances.

"We battled back from 7-1 (after three innings), kept chipping away, put ourselves in position to win the game," manager Walt Weiss said. "Our guys have been playing like that all year. They're doing whatever it takes, but it was a tough one today."

Chad Bettis will try to help Colorado forget its latest result while improving to 3-0 for the first time. Bettis (2-0, 3.33 ERA) is starting Monday because the Rockies wanted to give Jorge De La Rosa an extra day to recover from an illness.

Bettis gave up three runs - on a pair of homers - in six innings Wednesday in Cincinnati. He allowed one other hit and walked none in a 6-5 loss.

The right-hander has no record and a 3.00 ERA in two career starts against the Pirates. He gave up two runs in six innings in his lone matchup last season, a 5-4 loss in Denver on Sept. 24.

Pittsburgh left-hander Jeff Locke (0-2, 7.24) will seek to rebound from one of the worst outings of his career. He matched career highs by allowing eight runs and 11 hits in three-plus innings Wednesday in an 8-2 loss in San Diego.

Locke, who had a 2.53 ERA in his first two starts, is 0-1 with a 4.88 ERA in four starts against Colorado. He gave up four runs in 5 2-3 innings in his lone matchup last season, the 5-4 victory Sept. 24.

Pirates shortstop Jordy Mercer, batting .455 in his last five games, is a career .377 hitter against Colorado for his best mark versus any NL team. Josh Harrison is batting .467 in his last eight matchups and Starling Marte has hit .654 in seven lifetime games in Denver.

Marte is also 3 for 3 in his career against Bettis. Nolan Arenado is 6 for 11 with two doubles and a home run versus Locke while Mark Reynolds (1 for 15) and D.J. LeMahieu (0 for 10) are at the other end of the spectrum.

The Rockies might activate catcher Nick Hundley from the seven-day concussion list Monday. He hasn't played since April 13.






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