Colorado pulls past Pittsburgh
DENVER (AP) — Chris Iannetta homered and drove in three runs and Ubaldo Jimenez pitched seven strong innings to lead the Colorado Rockies to a 5-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday night.
Jeff Baker was 2-for-3 with two doubles and two runs for the Rockies, who snapped a four-game losing streak. Brian Fuentes struck out the side in the ninth for his 15th save this season and 100th of his career.
Jimenez (5-9) struck out four and won for the fourth time in his last six decisions. He retired 11 of the last 12 batters he faced. The only batter to reach after the third inning was wiped out in an inning-ending double play in the sixth.
Paul Maholm (6-6) struck out seven in six innings for the Pirates but lost for the first time since dropping a 7-2 decision to Milwaukee on May 20.
Garrett Atkins’ one-out double in the sixth tied the game at 3, and one pitch later Iannetta hit his 10th homer to make it 5-3.
The Rockies had a chance for more when Clint Barmes tripled to center with two outs, but Jason Nix struck out to end the inning.
The Pirates broke a 0-0 tie in the third. With two outs, Nate McLouth scored on a wild pitch, and after Jason Bay walked to put runners on first and second, Adam LaRoche doubled to the gap in right-center field to score Bay and Freddy Sanchez and make it 3-0.
The Rockies got two runs back in the third when Willy Taveras led off with a single and scored on Baker’s double to right. Two outs later, Iannetta singled up the middle to drive in Baker and make it 3-2.
Notes
The Pirates recalled RHP Marino Salas from Triple-A Indianapolis on Thursday. ... Rockies RHP Kip Wells could be activated from the DL on Monday. Wells, out since April 29 for surgery to remove a blood clot from his pitching hand, went 6 2-3 innings in a rehab assignment Wednesday at Double-A Tulsa.
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