PIRATES Figueroa's wait is finally over; he earns first win in 15 months

The pitcher last won in April of 2002 when he was with the Brewers.
DENVER (AP) -- Nelson Figueroa cherished his last major league victory. He couldn't have imagined it would take more than 15 months to get the next one.
Figueroa threw six solid innings for his first win since beating Atlanta on April 30, 2002, as the Pittsburgh Pirates edged the Colorado Rockies 5-3 on Sunday.
"I beat Greg Maddux and I said I would watch that one for a long time," Figueroa said. "I could kick myself now because I didn't realize how long it would be for my next one."
Figueroa (1-0), called up from Triple-A Nashville which was playing in Colorado Springs earlier in the day, allowed two runs and seven hits. He had been 0-6 in nine starts since his last major league win while he was with Milwaukee.
"They sent a limo down and I got here around 6 o'clock Saturday night," Figueroa said. "I decided that the only thing I could do was try to make myself an asset to this organization and this team when I got the opportunity."
Strong showing
Mike Lincoln pitched the ninth and allowed a solo homer to Charles Johnson before he finished for his fifth save in seven chances.
Randall Simon hit his second homer of the series as the Pirates took two of three from the Rockies.
"Nelson gave us more than we could have asked for," Pittsburgh manager Lloyd McClendon said. "He was down in the zone with his strikes and worked ahead in the count and gave us a quality start."
Shawn Chacon (11-7) allowed three runs -- two earned -- and five hits in seven innings, losing his fourth straight decision in five starts. He hasn't won since June 23 at San Diego.
"The bottom line is wins and losses -- and that's a loss," Chacon said. "That's the only thing I look at."
Figueroa retired his first five batters before Rene Reyes homered into the Colorado bullpen for his first career home run.
Ronnie Belliard homered to left in the third to make it 2-0.
Good enough
"I would take back the two solo home runs in a heartbeat, but they were solo home runs," Figueroa said. "And in this ballpark, as long as you don't give up a three-run shot and a big inning you'll be OK."
The Pirates tied it in the fourth on Simon's two-run shot.
Pittsburgh took a 3-2 lead with an unearned run in the seventh on Juan Uribe's throwing error.
Pittsburgh's defense saved a run in the seventh. Pinch-hitter Garrett Atkins singled and, with two outs, pinch-hitter Larry Walker doubled to center.
Tike Redman made a sliding stop and threw to shortstop Jack Wilson, who relayed the ball home from short center. Atkins went past the plate on a fadeaway slide, but Cota ran him down and tagged him out.
Replays appeared to show Atkins touched the plate with his left hand as he slid by, and Rockies manager Clint Hurdle was ejected for arguing.
Redman hit an RBI triple and scored on a squeeze bunt by Wilson in the ninth.