Rockies Launch Five Bombs To Take Series From Bucs In 13-3 Romp

The Bucs went 1-2-3 against Kyle Freeman; the Rox did the next best thing against Ivan Nova, losing a leadoff knock to a GIDP followed by a whiff. The second was equally quiet, with Ivan picking up a pair of whiffs. The Bucs got a stranded single in the third and Colorado rattled their sticks. Nova gave up walk on a missed strike call and a bop to go with four singles of varying pedigree
(pop fly, seeing eye grounder & a couple of garden-variety knocks) , and the Pirates were in a 4-0 hole.  Coors can be a tough place, especially when you're a pitch-to-contact guy and the baseball gods are ornery. J-Hay opened with a double in the fourth and scored two outs later on J-Bell's knock. Another rap and walked jammed them, but the parade ended at Jordy. Ivan rebounded with a clean frame. The Pirates wasted a Marte leg single in the fifth. The Rox got a Charlie Blackmon leadoff homer and another run may have been nipped in the bud when J-Hay climbed the ladder to pull in a two-out liner with a runner at second.

Joey O had a couple of knocks (image Pittsburgh Pirates)

Freeser opened the sixth with a 449' bomb to center in reply. A walk was followed by a bit of robbery by Nolan Arenado at third to toss out Joey O; the inning ended quietly as the next two Pirates decided to test Arenado  unsuccessfully. Too bad; it kept a struggling Nova in for another inning (he was on deck with a pinch-hitter due before the third out and Clint decided to milk another inning out of him; bad idea) and he surrendered a two-run homer to Trevor Story. Wade LeBlanc came in; he should have started the inning.  Or maybe not; he gave up a walk and blast to Pat Valaika followed by a walk, wild pitch, single sequence for another run. Then Mark Reynolds went deep; it's become HR Derby. A double was stranded and abandon ye all hope as it's 12-2 Rockies.

Scott Oberg climbed the slope in the seventh. After two outs, the Bucs jammed the sacks after a deflected grounder, double and walk. J-Bell was caught looking; the Pirates clutch index has tanked today. Jhan Marinez worked a clean frame. Adam Ottavina worked the eighth and sandwiched a walk between two knocks giving up a run. Mark Reynolds got it back with a swing of the bat. Mike Dunn worked a 1-2-3 ninth and that was that.

Starling lookin' comfortable in the top spot (photo Pittsburgh Pirates)

Giving up five home runs even at Coors is a pretty good recipe for defeat. It would have been a nice series to take with Colorado being the chase rabbit for the wild card spot, and now it puts on a little added pressure to take the sets against the Giants and Padres. A hot streak put the Bucs back on the radar; to stay there will take consistency for the next 10 weeks.

Notes:

• J-Hay had three hits; Starling and Joey O a pair. Freeser and J-Bell had a knock and a walk. The Bucs stranded 12 runners today.
• David Freese's long ball was his first homer since June 6th.
• This was the seventh straight game that the Rox have scored five or more runs, plating in double figures three times and scoring nine times twice during that span. Six of those games have been at Coors Field.