It is not unusual for a team to play the best baseball at the home stadium. The 2014 Pittsburgh Pirates (52-46) just happen to be doing it better than any other team in the National League.
Now 32-20 at home, the Pirates swept the sinking Colorado Rockies (40-58), who happen to be the worst road team in the NL, by a score of 5-3 Sunday afternoon at PNC Park.
Once again, Pittsburgh fell behind early in the game and, once again, battled back to defeat the bullpen and raise the Jolly Roger in front of a large weekend crowd. Jeff Locke (2-1) had a no decision after bouncing back from a rough first couple innings to notch a quality start of six innings, three runs on seven hits, two walks and three strikeouts.
Locke allowed a leadoff walk to Brandon Barnes and a two-run home run to Josh Rutledge before recording the first out. In the second inning, he gave up a solo shot to former Pirate catcher Michael McKenry.
The Pittsburgh offense battled back soon enough though, scoring two in the second on a single by Jordy Mercer. Chris Stewart, giving Russell Martin the day off, then doubled down the left field line, appearing to score Mercer and tie the game. However, the ball got stuck underneath the padding in foul territory, forcing the umpire crew to rule it a ground-rule double. Mercer and Stewart were then stranded, keeping Colorado ahead 3-2 at the time.
Luck would eventually side again with the home team, as Stewart hit another ground-rule double in the sixth – this time over the left field fence – scoring Mercer from second to tie the game.
Jeanmar Gomez (2-2) pitched a scoreless seventh and would earn the victory because in the bottom half of the inning, Josh Harrison walked, stole second base, and scored on a single by Andrew McCutchen to put Pittsburgh ahead for good. Neil Walker tacked on a solo homer later in the inning to make it 5-3, Bucs. Matt Belisle (2-6) was saddled with the loss for the Rockies, his second of the series.
Tony Watson pitched a perfect eighth, striking out two, and Mark Melancon tossed a perfect ninth to save the game and dismiss Colorado. Pittsburgh has won six in a row at PNC Park and has swept the last two series there, going back to the Philadelphia series earlier this month.
Up next are the Los Angeles Dodgers (54-45), who will be playing on slightly short rest as they travel late Sunday night from St. Louis following the ESPN Sunday Night Baseball game there. Hyun-Jin Ryu (10-5) and Edinson Volquez (8-6) are the starting pitchers for Monday’s series opener, scheduled to begin at 7:05 pm. With losses by Milwaukee and Cincinnati, Pittsburgh is only two games back of division-leading St. Louis and now in sole possession of third place.
