An avalanche of home runs led the Pirates past the Rockies tonight, winning 5-2 and advancing to 33-36 on the season. The Bucs climb to 4th place in the ever-shifting NL Central standings.
The Pirates struck first as Bryan Reynolds blasted a 432-foot solo shot in the 1st inning. The Pirates seemed poised to do more early damage, as Nick Gonzales and Rowdy Tellez reached base with just one out. However, Ryan Feltner got Ke’Bryan Hayes to ground into an inning-ending double play to close out the 1st.
The Pirates lead held firm until the 5th, when the Rockies tied it 1-1. Connor Joe saved this from being a multi-run inning, throwing out Adael Amador at home on a flyout.
Andrew McCutchen got the lead back in the 6th inning, blasting a 448-foot bomb to straightaway center. Then, in the 7th, Jack Suwinski crushed a 459-foot two-run shot to right field. The lead was stretched to 4 in the 8th inning, as Reynolds singled home McCutchen.
Luis Ortiz helped preserved the bullpen tonight, pitching 5 innings of one-run baseball. Notably, Ortiz did not allow a single walk. Ortiz has showed impressive control lately, walking just one batter in his last three appearances (12.1 innings). With Martin Perez and Quinn Priester on the IL, Ortiz has provided invaluable innings over the past two weeks.
Colin Holderman, Aroldis Chapman, and David Bednar closed out the last three innings. Bednar allowed a run on a Charlie Blackmon home run in the 9th.
The Pirates are back in action tomorrow night at 9:10 ET. Jared Jones will take the mound, while Ty Blach starts for the Rockies. Something to keep an eye on is Oneil Cruz‘s health, as he was scratched with ankle soreness just before tonight’s opening pitch.
North Shore Nine 
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