Harrison’s four hits power Bucs

Associated Press

DENVER

Josh Harrison had four hits, including a tiebreaking homer, to help the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Colorado Rockies, 7-5, on Sunday.

Gregory Polanco and Travis Snider also went deep for the Pirates, who avoided being swept in Colorado for the second straight season.

Harrison homered on the first pitch of the eighth to break a tie, and Polanco followed with his fifth of the season to make it 7-5.

Tony Watson (7-1) gave up a run in two innings of relief to get the win and Mark Melancon worked the ninth for his 19th save.

Harrison also had helped give the Pirates a 5-4 lead. In the sixth he swiped second but was caught in a rundown when he slid past the bag. He survived to reach third — giving him two stolen bases on the play — and scored on a pinch-hit double by Ike Davis to make it 5-4.

Snider had tied the game with a pinch-hit, two-run homer earlier in the inning.

Nolan Arenado and Brandon Barnes homered and Wilin Rosario reached base four times for the Rockies.

Pittsburgh starter Edison Volquez has struggled against Colorado and at Coors Field. He entered Sunday 3-8 with a 7.80 ERA in 13 career starts against the Rockies. The numbers are even worse in Denver where he was 1-5 with a 8.45 ERA in eight career starts.

He didn’t improve those statistics Sunday. He allowed an RBI single to DJ LeMahieu in the second inning and a two-run homer to Barnes as part of a three-run fourth inning, although only one of the runs was earned.