Rockies rolling even on walks

Photo by: Gene J. Puskar

AP

Photo

Colorado Rockies' Chris Iannetta (20) takes Pittsburgh Pirates second baseman Neil Walker out of the double play after being forced out at second on a seventh inning fielder's choice by Rockies' Ryan Spilborghs during a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Sunday, April 10, 2011. The Rockies won 6-5.

Associated Press

PITTSBURGH

One at-bat, one pitch, one day at a time. The Colorado Rockies have learned to slow down and not focus on anything but the next task ahead.

So far, it’s working.

Almost perfectly.

Seth Smith drew a bases-loaded walk in the seventh inning, Colorado’s bullpen was nearly flawless and the Rockies kept up their strong start with a 6-5 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday to take three of four in their first road series this season.

The Rockies’ 6-2 start is their second-best in franchise history. If not for two extra-inning losses, they’d be unbeaten.

“We’re solid, it doesn’t matter if we play at home or on the road,” said closer Huston Street, who got his fourth save with a perfect ninth. “We expect to win.”

Smith, who had an RBI single in Colorado’s four-run first, drew his two-out walk from Mike Crotta (0-1) in the seventh. Crotta walked three of the four batters he faced and gave up a tying RBI single in the inning to Jason Giambi.

“Tough day, just didn’t execute my pitches; that’s my job,” Crotta said. “It’s tough to get outs when you walk people. There’s eight guys out there and if they put it in play, chances are they hit it at somebody. If you walk a guy, nobody’s there to help you.”

Jose Lopez hit a three-run homer in the first for the Rockies, who have been alone in first in the NL West five straight days for the first time since 2006.

The Rockies appeared on their way to an easy win, scoring four in the first off Pittsburgh starter James McDonald, who managed to stay around until the seventh. But Colorado’s bats went dead, a problem that plagued the Rockies too often last season.

Lyle Overbay had two RBIs and Jose Tabata extended his hitting streak to 10 games for the Pirates (5-5), who are back to .500 after opening the season by winning four of six on the road, a start that had Pittsburgh fans hoping this squad could finally end 18 straight losing years.

“We’re all right,” Overbay said. “That’s a very good team over there. They’ve got some good players. We just got into a situation where we didn’t continue hitting. We didn’t get that killer instinct.”

Trailing 4-0 after one, the Pirates caught the Rockies by scoring three in the third and passed them with an unearned run in the fourth.