NATIONAL LEAGUE Bucs, Rockies split twinbill

Pittsburgh had a season-high 21 hits in the 11-2 victory.
DENVER (AP) -- The Pittsburgh Pirates couldn't find any holes in the first game.
That certainly changed in the second.
Oliver Perez pitched his second complete game of the year and Pittsburgh had a season-high 21 hits Thursday night, sending the Pirates to an 11-2 victory over the Colorado Rockies and a doubleheader split.
"We hit the ball hard in the first game without results," said Jack Wilson, who was 4-for-6 in Game 2. "In the second game, they all fell."
Rob Mackowiak tripled, doubled, singled and drove in three runs, Daryle Ward hit his first homer since 2002 and Wilson finished a homer short of the cycle.
Pittsburgh had its most hits since getting 21 against Colorado on Aug. 4, 1998, eclipsing the previous season high of 19 set two nights earlier against the Rockies. The Pirates finished the series with 17 extra-base hits and 31 runs.
"They just put a thumping on us for three days," Rockies manager Clint Hurdle said.
Benson defeated
Kris Benson was knocked around for six runs in 61/3 innings in Colorado's 7-5 victory in the first game, but Perez (3-1) didn't let it affect him.
The left-hander established his hard slider early and kept the Rockies off balance with a low-90s fastball, striking out seven and walking one in the first nine-inning complete game at Coors Field this season.
Perez allowed seven hits and no runners past first base after the fifth inning.
"Getting a complete game here is never easy," said Perez, whose first career complete game was a six-hitter in a 6-0 victory over Cincinnati on April 25. "I kept my composure on the mound and my slider was as good as I've had."
Jason Jennings put Colorado in a 3-0 hole right away and the bullpen gave up four runs in the sixth and again in the eighth. The Rockies lost their third home series of the season -- something that didn't happen until Aug. 10 last year.
"They were pretty impressive and we contributed to it in a large fashion," Hurdle said.
Rockies go deep
Colorado won the first game behind 61/3 strong innings from Shawn Estes and homers by Royce Clayton, Jeromy Burnitz and Luis Gonzalez.
Estes (5-2) allowed a career-worst nine runs in 22/3 innings Friday against the Cubs, but had much better command this time.
He was tight early because of a short warmup -- a hit batter and a walk led to a run in the second inning -- but kept spotting his big-breaking curveball to keep the Pirates on their heels.
Estes allowed two runs and three hits. Five of his six strikeouts came looking at his curveball, including Craig Wilson twice.
"I didn't have any giddy-up on anything, but I was hitting my spots and finally started feeling good about the third or fourth inning," said Estes, who threw six innings for a rain-shortened complete game at Coors Field against Los Angeles on April 22.
Shawn Chacon got his ninth save with a perfect ninth.
Benson (3-3) drove in two runs but continued to struggle since opening the season 2-0. He allowed nine hits, losing for the third time in four starts.
Benson has given up five or more runs in three of four outings after allowing four total in his first three starts.
"It's the obvious thing that if you get the ball up in the air here they are going to carry out," Benson said. "They took advantage of some balls up in the zone and they put them beyond the fences."