Colorado Rockies Blow Great Start By Chad Bettis, Get Swept By Pirates

Sep 24, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; Colorado Rockies starting pitcher C. Bettis (35) delivers a pitch during the first inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

The Colorado Rockies and Pittsburgh Pirates met Thursday afternoon for the final game of their four-game set at Denver’s beautiful Coors Field.

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The Colorado Rockies took a two-run lead into the eighth inning, but one three-run homer by the Pittsburgh Pirates flipped the game on its head and ensured the Rox were swept, losing 5-4 to the visiting Bucs on Thursday afternoon at Coors Field.

The Pirates opened up the scoring first, in the top of the first, when Starling Marte drove in Jaff Decker with a single to left field off Rockies’ starter Chad Bettis. It was the fourth consecutive game in Denver in which the Pirates (a) scored first, and (b) scored in the top of the first.

The Rox would get two runs back to take the lead in the bottom of the third inning, though, on a Nolan Arenado double. Chad Bettis and Cristhian Adames scored on the hit, Arenado’s 38th double of the year, off Pirates’ starter Jeff Locke.

The Pirates re-tied the score in the top of the fifth inning when Decker drove in Josh Harrison with an RBI single. That was the last run Bettis would allow, though, as he threw very well in yet another start, lowering his season ERA to 4.38. All told, Bettis lasted six innings, allowing the two runs on seven hits and two walks, while striking out six batters.

The Colorado Rockies would give Bettis the lead before his departure, though, putting him in line for the win. In the fifth, Adames tripled home Corey Dickerson to make it a 3-2 game off Locke. Then, in the bottom of the sixth, Ben Paulsen singled home Kyle Parker to give the Rox a 4-2 lead, and put a tight game into the hands of a Rockies’ bullpen hoping to prevent a four-game sweep by the Pirates.

All was good for the Rockies in the top of the seventh, when Scott Oberg threw a scoreless inning, but things went haywire in the top of the eighth inning. Jairo Diaz came on for the frame, and after allowing singles to Marte and Neil Walker — and getting two outs in the inning — he gave up a long three-run home run to Pedro Alvarez. The homer gave the Pirates the lead again, and put them six outs from a clean four-game sweep at Coors Field.

The Rockies went quietly in the bottom of the eighth, and went to the bottom of the ninth down a run hoping for some late-inning magic in the second-to-last home series at Coors Field. Unfortunately, a quiet ninth inning ended the game, and handed the Rockies their 90th loss of the season.

Next up for the Colorado Rockies, they host the Los Angeles Dodgers for three games over the weekend, in what will be the final home series of the year at Coors Field. After that, the Rockies will finish the year with three games in Arizona, and three more in San Francisco.

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