Gonzalez batters Pirates pitching in Rockies’ win

Associated Press

PITTSBURGH

The Colorado Rockies needed a boost after a difficult loss, and Carlos Gonzalez responded.

Gonzalez hit his 25th homer and finished with four hits, helping the Rockies beat Pittsburgh 8-4 on Sunday to salvage a split of their four-game series against the last-place Pirates.

Colorado lost 8-7 on Saturday when Pirates rookie Pedro Alvarez hit a three-run homer with two out in the 10th inning.

“Our chance to win the series blew up last night, so we didn’t have any other option but to split today,” Gonzalez said. “We just showed up today very excited about this game. And that’s why we won.”

Summoned from Triple-A to start Sunday, Esmil Rogers (2-2) allowed four runs, three earned, and eight hits in six innings as the Rockies won for only the second time in their past 10 road games to pull within 41/2 of NL wild card-leading San Francisco.

Jose Tabata, Neil Walker and Ronny Cedeno each had two hits for the Pirates. Paul Maholm (7-10) lasted just 2 2-3 innings.

Gonzalez went 4 for 5 with his eighth homer in his past 11 games, drove in three runs and scored twice, helping Colorado win for the seventh time in 10 games. He went 9 for 18 in the series and is batting .435 (30 for 69) with 16 RBIs in his last 16 games.

“I don’t know what to say about what we’re seeing and the development if this player,” Rockies manager Jim Tracy said.

Said Gonzalez: “I’m just following the pitcher’s sequence, that’s been the key for me. I just watch the way they’re pitching me the whole game so I kind of know what they’re trying to do. That’s the key about hitting — if you know what’s coming, you have more chances.”

Gonzalez and Troy Tulowitzki combined to go 18 for 35 in the series. Tulowitzki reached base three times Sunday and has a .471 career batting average at PNC Park.