Pirates win opener

Associated Press

DENVER

Kevin Correia pitched effectively into the seventh inning and Andrew McCutchen and Garrett Jones each homered, leading the Pittsburgh Pirates past the Colorado Rockies 3-0 in the snow Friday night.

Correia (4-2) allowed three hits in 62/3 innings, struck out four and walked one in becoming the first Pirates pitcher to win four games in April since Jeff Suppan in 2003.

The victory against a Rockies team that came in tied with Cleveland and Philadelphia for the most wins (16) in the majors sweetened the homecoming for first-year Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle. He spent 15 years with the Colorado organization, including eight seasons as manager, and guided the Rockies to their only World Series appearance in 2007.

“That flag they got waving in left field [2007 NL Champions], that’s really humbling,” Hurdle said before the game. “But it’s time to make new memories. I’m from the ’Burg now. They’ve got a good thing going on here and I’m just trying to figure out a way to beat ’em.”

Correia was at the center of that equation, quieting a Colorado offense that was shut out for the first time this season.

The Rockies were limited to five singles and the heart of their batting order — Carlos Gonzalez, Troy Tulowitzki and Todd Helton — were a combined 1 for 12 during a game that was played in intermittent snow over the final couple of innings. Gonzalez bunted his way on in the ninth to break an 0-for-25 skid.