Rockies’ Anderson cools Pirates’ bats

Associated Press

DENVER

Brett Anderson pitched effectively into the seventh inning for his first win in more than a year and the Colorado Rockies beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 8-1 on Friday night.

Carlos Gonzalez homered and Josh Rutledge had two hits and drove in four runs for Colorado, which has won consecutive games for just the second time in the last six weeks.

The Rockies are 16-40 since May 20 but cooled off the Pirates, who entered Friday 44-29 since starting the season 10-18.

Anderson (1-3) had not won since beating Houston on April 7, 2013, in his last start for Oakland. He spent four months on the disabled list and moved to the A’s bullpen when he returned.

He was winless in three April starts for Colorado before a broken left index finger put him on the shelf for 81 games. Friday was his third start since coming back and he allowed just two hits into the seventh inning before leaving with a 1-0 lead after issuing a one-out walk to Russell Martin.

Tommy Kahnle came on and got the last two outs and the Rockies broke it open in the bottom of the inning off Pirates starter Charlie Morton (5-10).

Ben Paulsen and Wilin Rosario led off with consecutive doubles and DJ LeMahieu singled. Ernesto Frieri relieved Morton and pinch-hitter Drew Stubbs bounced a grounder over the pulled-in infield for an RBI double. An intentional walk to Charlie Blackmon loaded the bases and Rutledge cleared them with a double to center.

One out later Gonzalez hit his 10th homer of the season to make it 8-0.