Pirates hang on to early lead, avoid sweep against Rockies

DENVER — Don Kelly had seen this movie before — twice in the same weekend, actually. On Friday and Saturday, the Pirates jumped out to a large lead, only to let it slip away late.

A similar script looked to be unfolding Sunday afternoon. The Pirates hit Rockies starter Bradley Blalock hard, carving out a seven-run advantage through six innings. But things again started to go south in the bottom of the sixth, as back-to-back-to-back homers brought the Rockies to within three.

Thankfully for Kelly, Carmen Mlodzinski and the rest of the Pittsburgh bullpen were in no mood for any more theatrics. Despite the late surge, the Pirates managed to hang on in their series finale, beating the Rockies, 9-5, at Coors Field.

“He was the fireman today,” Kelly said of Mlodzinski. “ ... Coming in and shutting it down, going two innings was really big.”

One of the most effective relievers in baseball last month, Mlodzinski provided a much needed pause in momentum for Colorado. After watching three straight baseballs leave the yard as he warmed up, the right-hander flipped the script, getting a pair of strikeouts to silence a lively crowd. Following a two-out double to Thairo Estrada, he then finished the frame with a third punchout, coming against Yanquiel Fernandez.

Mlodzinski returned for more in the seventh, where he posted another zero. The Rockies tested him a bit more that frame, getting two runners to reach base, but in the end, he got the job done without allowing any damage.

“It was huge,” Pirates starter Mitch Keller said of Mlodzinski’s effort. “I gave them all the momentum in the world back. I told him when he came in the next inning, to throw up another zero was probably the biggest zero we’ve had all season, honestly. The momentum here is crazy. Being able to shut that down was huge. Hats off to Carmen. I think he was the player of the game.”

Isaac Mattson took over for Mlodzinski in the eighth. Similar to Mlodzinski's second frame, there was a bit of drama. A fielding error on the mound followed by a walk brought the tying run to the on-deck circle with only one out. But Mattson, as he’s done regularly this season with the game on the line, made the pitches needed to escape the jam. Dennis Santana then redeemed himself after Friday’s ugly effort, slamming the door in the ninth to secure the win.

Keller was the game’s winning pitcher, improving to 5-10 on the season. Blalock suffered the loss, dropping to 1-3.

It was over when ...

Santana finished it off in the bottom of the ninth. Similar to Friday evening, the right-hander entered the game with a four-run lead. But this time, he got the job done. His outing started with a leadoff walk by Tyler Freeman, but a big first out followed the next at-bat on a nice catch in right field by Jack Suwinski. Jared Triolo made a stellar play on a slower roller to third base for the second out. Benton Doyle then lined out to left field for the game’s final out.

“Coming in after the outing the other day, it just shows you what type of competitor he is," Kelly said of Santana.

On the mound

Keller, similar to Skenes the afternoon prior, held his own through five innings. But Rockies hitters changed the story on his day when he faced their order for a third time. Freeman started the big rally with a leadoff walk. Then came the long balls.

First it was Mickey Moniak, then Hunter Goodman, then Jordan Beck. The three shots were all no-doubters, and turned what looked to be another quality outing from Keller into a day to forget. In the end, he allowed five runs on seven hits and a walk while striking out four over five-plus innings. That production, however, was still good enough to make him the game’s winning pitcher.

"Ran into trouble in the sixth,” Kelly said of Keller. “Just looked like the sweeper wasn't as sharp. Maybe spun a little bit but he was really good through five, especially here. To be able to pitch, come in after we lost the first two games the way we did, and bounce back today, got another good performance from the offense and Mitch held it together, all in all, 4-2 road trip. Good to get back home tomorrow."

At the plate

Typically, a multi-homer effort would be the lead story in most games. But the bullpen’s inability to hold onto a lead throughout the weekend made Spencer Horwitz’s effort a secondary tale. Nonetheless, Horwitz was the hero hitter for Pittsburgh, and his big day started from the jump.

He led off the game with a double to center field, and scored the game’s first run two at-bats later on an RBI infield single from Nick Gonzales. His second at-bat, which was just one inning later, resulted in a towering, two-run shot to right field, scoring himself and Triolo. He replicated that result in the sixth, blasting a three-run shot 421 feet to right field that put the Pirates ahead 8-1.

“The swings that Spence got off today, the double and the two home runs, the second one, the three-run shot off the lefty was huge,” Kelly said.

Horwitz added a key insurance run in the top of the eighth inning, plating Suwinski on a groundout to first base. In the end, he finished the afternoon 3 for 5 with a career-high six runs batted in. Tommy Pham drove home the other two Pirates’ runs, mashing a homer to center field in the first inning that scored himself and Gonzales.

“It was nice to see that success, those results,” Horwitz said. “It’s always a good feeling to see the work you put in start to pay off.”

Most valuable player

Horwitz, who tallied his first multi-homer effort as a Pirate.

Up next

The Pirates return home to start a three-game series against the Giants at PNC Park. First pitch for Monday’s series opener is scheduled for 6:40 p.m. Justin Verlander (1-8, 4.53) is scheduled to start for San Francisco. Pittsburgh’s starter has yet to be announced.