Rockies lead from start to finish for the first time this year in 3-2 victory over skidding Pirates
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Ryan McMahon homered into the Allegheny River, Cal Quantrill pitched into the eighth inning and the Colorado Rockies finally held onto a lead during a 3-2 win over the struggling Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday night.
Colorado trailed in each of its first 31 games this season, a modern-era record. But not this time around.
McMahon put the Rockies in front when he opened the sixth with a drive over the right-field stands against Martín Pérez for his fifth homer.
Elehuris Montero and Brendan Rodgers added RBI singles later in the sixth, and Quantrill (1-3) and two relievers did the rest as Colorado led wire to wire for the first time since beating the Los Angeles Dodgers 4-1 in September.
Jake Bird struck out Andrew McCutchen with two on to end the eighth. Jalen Beeks gave up a two-run homer to Oneil Cruz in the ninth but recorded two outs for his first save of the season.
The Rockies flirted with ending the streak this week in Miami when they took an early five-run lead on the Marlins only to fall in extra innings.
Quantrill beat the Pirates for the first time by limiting Pittsburgh to three hits with nine strikeouts. His only trouble spot came in the second when Rowdy Tellez and Jared Triolo singled with one out. Quantrill fanned Jack Suwinski and Joey Bart to end the threat, beginning a stretch in which he retired 18 of 19 batters. He was removed after hitting Bart with two outs in the eighth.
Triolo had two hits for the Pirates, but Pittsburgh’s lineup sputtered once again.
The Pirates have dropped five straight and 14 of 17 following an 11-5 start. Pittsburgh has scored two runs or fewer 13 times during its swoon and is 3 for 40 with runners in scoring position over its last seven games.
That lack of production is putting a lot of pressure on the pitching staff. Pérez (1-2) matched Quantrill through five innings but ran into trouble in the sixth when an 83-mph changeup to McMahon became the 71st baseball to land in the Allegheny River since PNC Park opened in 2001.
Cruz’s blast off Beeks in the ninth became the 72nd.
Pérez, who has been solid in his first month with Pittsburgh, gave up eight hits with four walks in 5 1/3 inning as his ERA ticked up to 3.15.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Rockies: LHP Kyle Freeland (left elbow strain) has begun playing catch though there remains no timetable for a possible return. Freeland has been out since April 15. … Recalled RHP Angel Chivilli from Double-A Hartford and placed RHP Justin Lawrence on the paternity list.
Pirates: Activated C Yasmani Grandal (left foot plantar fasciitis) off the injured list and optioned C Henry Davis to Triple-A Indianapolis.
UP NEXT
The series continues on Saturday when hard-throwing Pittsburgh rookie Jared Jones (2-3, 3.18 ERA) faces Colorado’s Austin Gomber (0-2, 4.50 ERA).
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