DENVER — The Pirates departed Coors Field Sunday evening far removed from the success they enjoyed on their most recent homestand. They headed to St. Louis to battle the Cardinals, their main division rival, after not gaining any separation on them during the weekend.
A 3-2 loss Sunday completed a three-game sweep at the hands of the Colorado Rockies, who took advantage of Pirates mistakes. A balk set up one run, a throwing error another.
Jeff Locke continued to battle his control, walking at least three batters for the fourth time in his past five starts. He allowed two runs, one earned, in 5 2/3 innings.
Bryan Morris took the loss. He allowed the go-ahead RBI double by Nolan Arenado in the seventh inning.
The Pirates loaded the bases in the ninth against Rex Brothers, but could not score.
A balk call in the bottom half of the third helped the Rockies halve the Pirates’ 2-0 lead. Charlie Blackmon stole second after being hit with a pitch. He took off for third, causing Locke to step off and throw to the bag. Pedro Alvarez tagged Blackmon out in plenty of time, but home plate umpire Bill Welke called a balk on Locke’s motion and Blackmon was safe.
Manager Clint Hurdle came out to argue, then reappeared to talk to Welke again before the start of the fourth inning.
DJ LeMahieu took advantage of the balk and scored Blackmon on a sacrifice fly.
Locke preserved the Pirates’ lead in the fifth, compensating for what could have been a costly error by Clint Barmes. Dexter Fowler grounded to short with one out and Blackmon on first. The Pirates had a shot at an inning-ending double play, but the ball slid under Barmes’ glove and off his foot into the outfield.
Locke then struck out LeMahieu with men on second and third using a curveball in the dirt. He fell behind Troy Tulowitzki 3-0 and intentionally walked him with first base open, loading the bases for Wilin Rosario. Rosario grounded out, and Locke escaped with the lead.
He wasn’t so fortunate in the sixth. Three consecutive batters reached base, but two fielder’s choices ensured just one man, Yorvit Torrealba, was on first when Blackmon batted with two outs. Garrett Jones dove for Blackmon’s grounder, but couldn’t corral it, and the Rockies had two men on.
Rockies manager Walt Weiss pinch-hit Corey Dickerson for Bettis, and Hurdle removed Locke in favor of Tony Watson. Dickerson grounded to third, but Pedro Alvarez threw the ball into the stands. Torrealba scored and the Rockies tied the game at 2-2.
Alvarez started the scoring in the second. He roped the first pitch from Chad Bettis into the bullpen in right-center field for his 28th home run.
Barmes doubled to lead off the third. Locke’s sacrifice bunt put Barmes on third. After a walk to Jose Tabata, Andrew McCutchen dribbled two-out swinging bunt down the third-base line. McCutchen beat the throw, allowing Barmes to score and give the Pirates a 2-0 lead.
Bettis, making his third career start, needed only 80 pitches through six innings and allowed two runs on four hits.
