Wednesday, April 27, 2016
Associated Press
DENVER
Slumping outfielder Andrew McCutchen hit three homers and drove in five runs to help the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Colorado Rockies 9-4 on Tuesday night.
This was the second time McCutchen has gone deep three times in a game. He also accomplished the feat on Aug. 1, 2009, against Washington.
The perennial All-Star entered the game in a 3-for-23 funk on this road trip but rediscovered his swing. McCutchen hit solo shots in the first and second innings off starter Jorge De La Rosa (1-3). He also lined a three-run homer off reliever Christian Bergman in the sixth.
The major league record for homers in a game is four, which has been done 16 times and last by Josh Hamilton in 2012. McCutchen had a chance to equal the mark in the eighth, but grounded out.
David Freese and Starling Marte also homered for the Pirates.
Gerrit Cole (2-2) threw six innings and allowed four runs — two earned — to win his second straight start.
De La Rosa struggled with his command after fighting off a stomach flu that forced the Rockies to move his start back a day. He gave up four runs in three innings before appearing to hurt his groin while running out a ground ball in the third. He was taken out for a reliever.
Nolan Arenado had a solo homer for the Rockies, who have lost four straight.
A pivotal play in the game was a perfect strike from Marte in the fifth to preserve the Pirates’ lead. With the bases loaded, Arenado sharply singled to left, but Marte threw out a sliding Gerardo Parra at the plate to keep the score 4-3.
In the sixth, McCutchen put the game out of reach with his three-run homer that just cleared the right field wall.