Jack Suwinski hit two homeruns and Vince Velasquez won his second game of the season as the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Colorado Rockies by a 5-3 score at Coors Field.
Hitting in the fifth spot on Tuesday night, Suwinski proved to be the difference for Pittsburgh with two hits, a walk, and three RBIs. His second long ball of the game in the fourth inning (his first came in the second inning) proved to be the game-winner.
As for Velasquez, while he certainly didn’t shut down the Rockies’ bats, he did hold them in check enough to give his team a chance to win. He finished with a line of six innings pitched while allowing three runs on five hits with three walks. He did strike out seven batters, lowering his ERA to 5.12 while improving his record to 2-2 on the young season.
Colorado took the early lead on the Bucs in the top of the first inning. A solo homerun by Kris Bryant represented the game’s first run, and was followed later in the inning by a two-run double by former-Pirate Elias Diaz. The Rockies held a 3-0 lead after the first inning, but those would be the only runs they would score in the game.
After Suwinski’s homerun got the Bucs on the board in the second inning, a double by Carlos Santana in the fourth inning cut the Rockies’ lead to 3-2. Then, later in the frame, Suwinski’s two-run homerun to right center field gave the Pirates a 4-3 advantage. Tucupita Marcano scored on a wild pitch later in the inning for an insurance run that, as it turned out, the Pirates would not need.
Pittsburgh’s bullpen did its job, pitching four runs of scoreless baseball. David Bednar tallied his fifth save of the season while pitching a scoreless ninth inning.
This has been a great start to this series. The Pirates, so far this season, have certainly held their own on the road, and they have put themselves in position to earn a series sweep in Colorado before returning home to PNC Park on Thursday. Johan Oviedo will start on Wednesday afternoon for Pittsburgh against Austin Gomber for Colorado.
Record vs. Rockies: 2-0
Record vs. N.L. West: 2-0
Record on the Road: 8-4
Overall Record: 10-7
And…
As Always…
Let’s Go Bucs!
