Rockies hit 3 homers to beat Pirates, 5-2

DENVER (AP) — Matt Holliday and Brad Hawpe homered, and Seth Smith hit an inside-the-park home run to lead the Colorado Rockies to a 5-2 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates Friday night.

Glendon Rusch (2-1) lasted 52‚Ñ3 innings and gave up two runs in winning his second straight start since being recalled from Triple-A on July 5.

Smith led off the seventh with a deep drive to center that caromed off the bottom of the wall and past Pirates center fielder Nate McClouth, who overran the ball. Smith rounded the bases as the ball rolled along the warning track, and he scored standing up. It was Smith’s second homer of the season.

Brian Fuentes pitched the ninth to earn his 16 save in 20 chances.

The Rockies jumped out to the early lead. Willy Taveras led off with a triple to right, and after Baker struck out, Holliday drilled a 1-2 fastball from Ian Snell (3-8) over the right-center field wall to make it 2-0. It was Holliday’s 15th home run of the season and his fifth homer in his last 12 games.

Taveras made it 3-0 when he drew a two-out walk in the second, stole second and third and scored when catcher Ryan Doumit’s throw to third sailed into left field.

The Pirates got one back when Jose Bautista hit his 11th home run to lead off the third inning.

Pittsburgh threatened again in the sixth. With one out Freddy Sanchez and Doumit had back-to-back singles, and Jason Bay hit a sacrifice fly to make it 3-2. Jason Grilli relieved Rusch after Adam LaRoche’s bloop single put runners on the corners, and Grilli struck out Jason Michaels to end the threat.

Hawpe got that run back with his 15th homer to lead off the bottom of the inning.

Snell gave up four runs and struck out five in six innings.