Posted
7-19-08
Holliday's Homer Paces Rockies to Win
Denver, CO (Sports Network) - Matt Holliday hit a two-run home run in the first and the Colorado Rockies never trailed in a 5-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates in the second installment of a four-game series at Coors Field.
Brad Hawpe cranked a solo shot and Seth Smith had an inside-the-park home run. Willy Taveras tripled, scored twice and stole two bases for Colorado, which has taken the first two games of the series.
Glendon Rusch (3-3) picked up the win, allowing just two runs on six hits in 5 2/3 frames. The southpaw struck out one batter and did not allow a walk.
"That we won. At this point in the season, that's all that matters," Rusch said. "We just want to win as many as we can to get back in it."
Ian Snell (3-8) extended a personal winless skid to five consecutive starts, surrendering four runs - three earned - on six hits and three walks while fanning five.
Jose Bautista hit a solo home run while Jason Bay had the other RBI for Pittsburgh, which has dropped four of its last five.
The Rox put a pair of runs on the board in the first. Taveras tripled to right leading off and Holliday delivered a two-run homer to left-center two batters later.
Taveras manufactured a run in the second by working a two-out walk, stealing second and third and scampering home on an overthrow of third by catcher Ryan Doumit.
The Pirates got one back when Bautista led off the third with a homer to left.
Both teams picked up a run in the sixth. Freddy Sanchez singled through the right side, moved to third on a Doumit single and came home on a Bay sacrifice fly. Hawpe led off the bottom half by cranking a home run out to right field, re-establishing the Rockies two-run lead.
Tyler Yates took over for Snell in the seventh and Smith drove the right- hander's first offering to deep right-center for an inside-the-park home run. The ball caromed off the base of the wall angling toward the right field line, sending the ball rolling along the warning track toward left and away from right fielder Jason Michaels.
Brian Fuentes entered in the ninth and retired the Pirates in order to record his 16th save of the season.
"We're not taking advantage of the opportunities we're getting," Pittsburgh manager John Russell said. "We're havin' too many quick innings. We should get out of this, but right now, we're not getting much goin' at all."
Game Notes
Colorado won four of seven last year in the series, but the Pirates won three of the four tests played at Coors Field...The Rockies designated pitcher Mark Redman for assignment on Friday, while calling up pitcher Juan Morillo from Triple-A Colorado Springs. |
