The Pirates escaped the first two innings on a couple of line-drive double plays. With the bases loaded and one out in the fourth, first baseman John Jaso and second baseman Josh Harrison scooped up a pair of ground balls to end the inning. Left fielder Starling Marte unleashed a 100.6 mph throw -- per Statcast™ -- to nail Dustin Garneau at the plate, the would-be tying run in the seventh inning.
Freese starts double play
COL@PIT: Freese makes grab, doubles off Arenado
With runners on the corners, Carlos Gonzalez lines out to David Freese, who then doubles off Nolan Arenado at first
Rockies right-hander Eddie Butler kept the Pirates in check for most of the night, but Gregory Polanco opened the scoring with an RBI groundout in the first inning and David Freese delivered a go-ahead single to center with two outs and two strikes in the sixth, driving in Marte from second base.
"He took some swings at some pitches up, already, and he ends up breaking his bat and it finds a hole," Butler said. "Not much to do about that. Most of the time we get him to pop it up or he swings through it."
Freese's RBI single
COL@PIT: Freese delivers a two-out RBI single
With two outs in the bottom of the 6th, David Freese singles to center field to bring home Starling Marte
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Don't run on Starling Marte: Marte led all National League outfielders last year with 16 assists, regularly showing off his rocket right arm. But the Rockies still tested him in the seventh inning, sending Garneau from second base on Charlie Blackmon's single to left. Marte reached back and fired a strike home -- 232.3 feet and 100.6 mph, according to Statcast™ -- to catcher Francisco Cervelli. Cole pointed out to Marte, signaling his praise, and Cervelli pumped his fist after cutting down the potential tying run.
"The ball one-hopped him, and he's got a freakin' cannon," Garneau said.
It can be one little thing: Butler escaped in the third after the first two hitters singled, and he stranded Jordy Mercer after his leadoff triple in the fifth. However, with one out in the sixth, Marte singled and Butler let him take second with a bad pickoff throw. Marte scored the go-ahead run on Freese's single.
"Just a bad throw -- that lost us the game right there," Butler said.
Hard hit, not hard luck: The first two Rockies innings ended with line-drive double plays off the bats of Carlos Gonzalez and DJ LeMahieu, respectively, and the Rockies couldn't convert with loaded bases and one out in the fourth. But Nolan Arenado left nothing to chance in the sixth, when he lined Cole's 1-0, 94-mph fastball into the left-field seats to tie the game.
REPLAY REVIEW
Butler tried to make up for the bad pickoff in the sixth with another attempt at Marte, this time at second. Shortstop Trevor Story made a leaping, athletic tag. Marte was ruled safe, and the call withstood Rockies manager Walt Weiss' challenge.
Marte safe on pickoff attempt
COL@PIT: Marte safe on pickoff throw, call stands
Eddie Butler attempts to pick off Starling Marte at second base in the 6th, and after the Rockies challenge, the safe call stands
A crew chief review in the eighth briefly gave the Rockies life when replay determined that Gonzalez beat a potential inning-ending double play behind Pirates reliever Tony Watson. However, Mark Reynolds grounded out to end the frame.
Gonzalez safe at first
COL@PIT: Gonzalez beats throw after call overturned
The Pirates turn a double play in the top of the 8th, but the umpires review and the call is overturned at first
SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS
Andrew McCutchen's first-inning double off the right-field wall was his 613th career hit at PNC Park, surpassing Jack Wilson's previous record of 612 in the Pirates' home ballpark. McCutchen already owns the record for career homers at PNC Park, with 76.
"It's good for him. Those kinds of things are milestones," Hurdle said. "You've got to be healthy, No. 1. You've got to have talent, No. 2. You've got to want to go out there and play every day, and he's done it."
WHAT'S NEXT
Rockies: Right-hander Tyler Chatwood (5-3, 3.20 ERA) will meet the Pirates on Saturday at 2:05 p.m. MT at PNC Park -- meaning he will be in his element. Chatwood is 4-0 with a Majors-best 0.33 ERA in four road starts.
Pirates: Left-hander Jonathon Niese (4-2, 5.28 ERA) will take the mound for the Pirates at 4:05 p.m. ET on Saturday at PNC Park. Niese has put together two straight quality starts, but home runs remain an issue: He's served up 11, third-most in the Majors, in 46 innings.
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Adam Berry has covered the Pirates for MLB.com since 2015. Follow him on Twitter at @adamdberry.
This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
Pirates' defense key vs. Rox in 2nd straight W
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