Andrew McCutchen homers to all three fields in Colorado
DENVER — Andrew McCutchen hit three homers for the Pittsburgh Pirates in their 8-4 win at the Colorado Rockies.
Tuesday night marked the second time McCutchen has hit three homers in a game. The other time he accomplished the feat was Aug. 1, 2009 against Washington. No Pirate has ever hit four.
McCutchen hit solo shots in the first and second innings off starter Jorge De La Rosa, and then he lined a three-run homer to right off reliever Christian Bergman in the sixth. He grounded out in the fourth and again in the eighth.
Entering the game, McCutchen was in a 3-for-23 funk on this road trip. But he quickly rediscovered his swing and now has five homers this season.
The major league record for homers in a game is four, done 14 times and last by Josh Hamilton in 2012.
David Freese and Starling Marte also homered for the Pirates.
DENVER — Andrew McCutchen hit three homers for the Pittsburgh Pirates in their 8-4 win at the Colorado Rockies.
Tuesday night marked the second time McCutchen has hit three homers in a game. The other time he accomplished the feat was Aug. 1, 2009 against Washington. No Pirate has ever hit four.
McCutchen hit solo shots in the first and second innings off starter Jorge De La Rosa, and then he lined a three-run homer to right off reliever Christian Bergman in the sixth. He grounded out in the fourth and again in the eighth.
The major league record for homers in a game is four, done 14 times and last by Josh Hamilton in 2012.
David Freese and Starling Marte also homered for the Pirates.
DENVER -- Slumping outfielder Andrew McCutchen hit three homers and drove in five runs to help the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Colorado Rockies 9-4 on Tuesday night.
This was the second time McCutchen has gone deep three times in a game. He also accomplished the feat on Aug. 1, 2009, against Washington.
The perennial All-Star entered the game in a 3-for-23 funk on this road trip but rediscovered his swing. McCutchen hit solo shots in the first and second innings off starter Jorge De La Rosa (1-3). He also lined a three-run homer off relieverChristian Bergman in the sixth.
The major league record for homers in a game is four, which has been done 16 times and last by Josh Hamilton in 2012. McCutchen had a chance to equal the mark in the eighth, but grounded out.
David Freese and Starling Marte also homered for the Pirates.
Gerrit Cole (2-2) threw six innings and allowed four runs -- two earned -- to win his second straight start.
rt back a day. He gave up four runs in three innings before appearing to hurt his groin while running out a ground ball in the third. He was taken out for a reliever.
Nolan Arenado had a solo homer for the Rockies, who have lost four straight.
A pivotal play in the game was a perfect strike from Marte in the fifth to preserve the Pirates' lead. With the bases loaded, Arenado sharply singled to left, but Marte threw out a sliding Gerardo Parra at the plate to keep the score 4-3.
In the sixth, McCutchen put the game out of reach with his three-run homer that just cleared the right field wall. He tipped his batting helmet after rounding the bases.
The Pirates have had 10 players hit three homers in a game a total of 18 times.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Pirates: INF Jung Ho Kang (left knee) hit the first homer of his rehab assignment for Triple-A Indianapolis on Tuesday at Durham.
Rockies: C Nick Hundley wasn't in the lineup Tuesday. He played Monday after being reinstated from the disabled list following a concussion.
DAY OFF
Rookie shortstop Trevor Story was held out of the lineup for the first time this season. After a torrid start, his average has dipped to.247. His eight homers in April, though, are the most by an NL rookie since Albert Pujols hit eight with St. Louis in 2001. Chicago White Sox slugger Jose Abreu holds the major league rookie record for April with 10 in 2014.
"It's not the typical three-week start to a career that he's had," manager Walt Weiss said. "He's had a lot on his plate and I'm sure his world has been spinning at times. He's handled it well."
UP NEXT
Pirates: LHP Jonathon Niese (3-0) is 2-0 on the road heading into his start Wednesday at Coors Field. He's 3-3 with a 5.34 ERA in nine starts against Colorado.
Rockies: RHP Jon Gray (0-0) makes his second start. He began the season on the disabled list with an abdominal strain.
This was the second time McCutchen has gone deep three times in a game. He also accomplished the feat on Aug. 1, 2009, against Washington.
The perennial All-Star entered the game in a 3-for-23 funk on this road trip but rediscovered his swing. McCutchen hit solo shots in the first and second innings off starter Jorge De La Rosa (1-3). He also lined a three-run homer off relieverChristian Bergman in the sixth.
The major league record for homers in a game is four, which has been done 16 times and last by Josh Hamilton in 2012. McCutchen had a chance to equal the mark in the eighth, but grounded out.
David Freese and Starling Marte also homered for the Pirates.
Gerrit Cole (2-2) threw six innings and allowed four runs -- two earned -- to win his second straight start.
rt back a day. He gave up four runs in three innings before appearing to hurt his groin while running out a ground ball in the third. He was taken out for a reliever.
Nolan Arenado had a solo homer for the Rockies, who have lost four straight.
A pivotal play in the game was a perfect strike from Marte in the fifth to preserve the Pirates' lead. With the bases loaded, Arenado sharply singled to left, but Marte threw out a sliding Gerardo Parra at the plate to keep the score 4-3.
In the sixth, McCutchen put the game out of reach with his three-run homer that just cleared the right field wall. He tipped his batting helmet after rounding the bases.
The Pirates have had 10 players hit three homers in a game a total of 18 times.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Pirates: INF Jung Ho Kang (left knee) hit the first homer of his rehab assignment for Triple-A Indianapolis on Tuesday at Durham.
Rockies: C Nick Hundley wasn't in the lineup Tuesday. He played Monday after being reinstated from the disabled list following a concussion.
DAY OFF
Rookie shortstop Trevor Story was held out of the lineup for the first time this season. After a torrid start, his average has dipped to.247. His eight homers in April, though, are the most by an NL rookie since Albert Pujols hit eight with St. Louis in 2001. Chicago White Sox slugger Jose Abreu holds the major league rookie record for April with 10 in 2014.
"It's not the typical three-week start to a career that he's had," manager Walt Weiss said. "He's had a lot on his plate and I'm sure his world has been spinning at times. He's handled it well."
UP NEXT
Pirates: LHP Jonathon Niese (3-0) is 2-0 on the road heading into his start Wednesday at Coors Field. He's 3-3 with a 5.34 ERA in nine starts against Colorado.
Rockies: RHP Jon Gray (0-0) makes his second start. He began the season on the disabled list with an abdominal strain.
| CENTRAL | W | L | PCT | GB | HOME | ROAD | RS | RA | DIFF | STRK | L10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago Cubs | 15 | 5 | .750 | - | 5-2 | 10-3 | 123 | 54 | +69 | W2 | 7-3 |
| Pittsburgh Pirates | 12 | 9 | .571 | 3.5 | 5-3 | 7-6 | 110 | 99 | +11 | W3 | 7-3 |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 11 | 9 | .550 | 4 | 5-4 | 6-5 | 126 | 85 | +41 | W1 | 5-5 |
| Cincinnati Reds | 9 | 12 | .429 | 6.5 | 8-5 | 1-7 | 83 | 126 | -43 | L3 | 3-7 |
| Milwaukee Brewers | 8 | 12 | .400 | 7 | 5-6 | 3-6 | 79 | 117 | -38 | L1 | 3-7 |
<thead class="standings-categories" style="box-sizing: border-box;">
</thead><tbody style="box-sizing: border-box;">
</tbody>
[COLOR=#333333 !important]Final in 12
Series: Game 3 of 4
[/COLOR]
[h=3]Pirates 9[/h](13-9, 8-6 away)
[h=3]Rockies 8[/h](9-12, 4-8 home)
Coverage: ROOT
8:40 PM ET, April 27, 2016
Coors Field, Denver, Colorado
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</tbody>
W: K. Lobstein (2-0)
L: C. Estevez (0-1)
S: M. Melanc
Series: Game 3 of 4
[/COLOR]
[h=3]Pirates 9[/h](13-9, 8-6 away)
[h=3]Rockies 8[/h](9-12, 4-8 home)
Coverage: ROOT
8:40 PM ET, April 27, 2016
Coors Field, Denver, Colorado
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | R | H | E | |
| PIT | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 15 | 0 |
| COL | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 18 | 0 |
<tbody style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background: transparent;">
</tbody>
W: K. Lobstein (2-0)
L: C. Estevez (0-1)
S: M. Melanc
The Colorado Rockies aren't yet concerned about an unflattering ERA and nonexistent win total to start his career, and there are reasons to believe that could be the right attitude. The right-hander again tries for his first big league victory Wednesday night against the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates, who have already roughed him up twice.
Gray, who made nine starts last season, gave up five runs in five innings of Friday's 7-5 home win over the Los Angeles Dodgers. After allowing two home runs and a triple in a three-run first, he ended up striking out a career-high 10 batters after starting the season on the disabled list with an abdominal strain.
"His slider was filthy," manager Walt Weiss told MLB's official website. "He ended up going to his slider, and that's where a lot of his punchouts came, with the slider. I thought he did a great job. He could've went the other way after that first inning, but he stayed the course, hung in there, didn't get flustered whatsoever, and threw the ball really well after that."
But the No. 3 pick in the 2013 draft is now 0-2 with a 5.91 ERA, 1.80 WHIP and .321 opponent batting average through his first 10 starts. It's been a rough early sample, yet there's plenty of reason to believe those numbers will level.
Gray's batting average on balls in play is .402, which is 20 points higher than the next-worst mark for a pitcher with at least 10 starts since the beginning of 2015. It's still far too early in his career to nail down what a reasonable BABIP will be for the 23-year-old, but his mark over 56 games in the minors was .321. No qualifying MLB starter since 2008 has had a single-season BABIP over .345.
His fielding-independent pitching also stands at 3.93. Five qualifying Rockies starters have combined for nine total seasons with a FIP under 4.00 since 1997, and they were all seasons that pretty much thrilled starting pitching-starved Rockies fans. Ubaldo Jimenez did it three straight seasons from 2008-10 while going 46-32 with a 3.43 ERA. Jorge De La Rosa did it in '09 (16-9, 4.38) and '13 (16-6, 3.49). Jason Hammel did it in '09-10 (20-17, 4.57). Jhoulys Chacin went 14-10 with a 3.47 in '13, and Aaron Cook was 16-9 with a 3.96 in '08.
The Pirates are already familiar with Gray, tagging him with one of those losses and eight earned runs in nine innings over two starts last year. Jordy Mercer (3 for 4 with two doubles), Gregory Polanco (3 for 6), Andrew McCutchen (2 for 4) and Starling Marte (2 for 5 with a home run) have done much of the damage.
Gray is up against Jonathon Niese, who's been a bit more fortunate to start his first year in Pittsburgh with an 8.10 run-support average. Niese (3-0, 4.24 ERA) got his third straight victory in Friday's 8-7 win in Arizona, though the left-hander gave up four runs and 10 hits in 5 1/3 innings. The Chase Field roof was open, making for some less-than-ideal pitching circumstances, but the same can be said about Coors Field.
In four starts there, Niese has a 7.94 ERA. Mark Reynolds (8 for 15 with two home runs), Nick Hundley (5 for 11) and Gerardo Parra (4 for 9) have all hit him well.
The Pirates (12-9) have won the first two of the four-game series and seven straight in Colorado while batting .348 and averaging 7.86 runs. Tuesday's 9-4 victory came with McCutchen homering three times in the first six innings to double his previous 24-game home run total at Coors.
Pittsburgh has won three straight while averaging 9 runs per game and batting .320, but McCutchen had been 2 for 19 in his previous five and got a day off Monday.
"He's gone through a period where he was getting challenged and kept working and kept looking for the answer, something to get him rolling again. He found something tonight," manager Clint Hurdle said.
The Rockies (9-11) have dropped four in a row and are batting .232 with a 5.59 starting ERA over a 3-7 span.
| CENTRAL | W | L | PCT | GB | HOME | ROAD | RS | RA | DIFF | STRK | L10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago Cubs | 15 | 5 | .750 | - | 5-2 | 10-3 | 123 | 54 | +69 | W2 | 7-3 |
| Pittsburgh Pirates | 13 | 9 | .591 | 3 | 5-3 | 8-6 | 119 | 107 | +12 | W4 | 7-3 |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 12 | 9 | .571 | 3.5 | 5-4 | 7-5 | 137 | 89 | +48 | W2 | 6-4 |
| Cincinnati Reds | 9 | 13 | .409 | 7 | 8-5 | 1-8 | 85 | 131 | -46 | L4 | 3-7 |
| Milwaukee Brewers | 8 | 12 | .400 | 7 | 5-6 | 3-6 | 79 | 117 | -38 | L1 | 3-7 |
<thead class="standings-categories" style="box-sizing: border-box;">
</thead><tbody style="box-sizing: border-box;">
</tbody>
Kang news..........
DENVER -- The Pirates continue to get good reports regarding a quartet of players on the disabled list.
Third baseman Jung Ho Kang made his seventh rehab appearance Wednesday with Indianapolis.
"Jung Ho Kang is playing nine innings of third base at Triple-A," said Pirates head athletic trainer Todd Tomczyk. "He continues to show physiologically good signs of recovery. He continues to meet the demands of the rehab."
Kang was 3-for-20 (.150) with a home run, three runs scored and three RBIs in his first six games.
"It's his second time he's gone back-to-back games," Tomczyk said. "If we go the same plan as we used last week, he's available as a pinch-hitter that third day."
Kang's rookie season ended with left knee surgery to repair a fracture to his tibial plateau and damage to the lateral meniscus sustained on the receiving end of takeout slide at second base on Sept. 17 against the Cubs.
"The video that we've watched, the reports that we're getting from our performance team in Indianapolis -- he's recovering well, physiologically," Tomczyk said. "And that allows him to move forward, allows us to take the next steps back to what he ultimately wants to do, and that's get back up here and help this team win."
Tomczyk cited a striking lack of precedent to use as a reference for recovery expectations, comparing Kang's injury to one sustained in a car accident.
"We have a good idea of how the body responds, how long it takes for bone to heal, how long it takes an ACL," Tomczyk said. "That's medical knowledge that's out there. Anybody can get that. But when you couple a traumatic automobile accident -- then for you and I to come back, to walk and talk and travel, yeah. We can do it no problem. But then you put in professional skill that he has, and he's part of 10 percent of the human population that get to where he's at, that's throwing in a whole different dynamic.
"That's when we rely on all our resources, mental conditioning, strength conditioning, physical therapy. We continue to throw the entire gamut at him to give him any and every resource possible to help him get back to the level where he wants to be."
In other rehab news:
• Catcher Elias Diaz (right elbow strain) threw to the bases Wednesday for the second consecutive day.
"We're going to see how he comes out of that and responds to the physiological load of throwing on two consecutive days, and we'll move forward as indicated," Tomczyk said.
• Jared Hughes (left lat muscle strain) made his fourth rehab appearance on Wednesday, throwing two innings of three-run ball
"Jared continues to check all the boxes off," Tomczyk said.
• Cory Luebke (right hamstring tightness) started his rehab assignment last Thursday and has made two relief appearances, allowing three runs over four innings.
"Cory Luebke is going to continue to get opportunities in Indianapolis to pitch multiple innings out of the bullpen," Tomczyk said.
DENVER -- The Pirates continue to get good reports regarding a quartet of players on the disabled list.
Third baseman Jung Ho Kang made his seventh rehab appearance Wednesday with Indianapolis.
"Jung Ho Kang is playing nine innings of third base at Triple-A," said Pirates head athletic trainer Todd Tomczyk. "He continues to show physiologically good signs of recovery. He continues to meet the demands of the rehab."
Kang was 3-for-20 (.150) with a home run, three runs scored and three RBIs in his first six games.
"It's his second time he's gone back-to-back games," Tomczyk said. "If we go the same plan as we used last week, he's available as a pinch-hitter that third day."
Kang's rookie season ended with left knee surgery to repair a fracture to his tibial plateau and damage to the lateral meniscus sustained on the receiving end of takeout slide at second base on Sept. 17 against the Cubs.
"The video that we've watched, the reports that we're getting from our performance team in Indianapolis -- he's recovering well, physiologically," Tomczyk said. "And that allows him to move forward, allows us to take the next steps back to what he ultimately wants to do, and that's get back up here and help this team win."
Tomczyk cited a striking lack of precedent to use as a reference for recovery expectations, comparing Kang's injury to one sustained in a car accident.
"We have a good idea of how the body responds, how long it takes for bone to heal, how long it takes an ACL," Tomczyk said. "That's medical knowledge that's out there. Anybody can get that. But when you couple a traumatic automobile accident -- then for you and I to come back, to walk and talk and travel, yeah. We can do it no problem. But then you put in professional skill that he has, and he's part of 10 percent of the human population that get to where he's at, that's throwing in a whole different dynamic.
"That's when we rely on all our resources, mental conditioning, strength conditioning, physical therapy. We continue to throw the entire gamut at him to give him any and every resource possible to help him get back to the level where he wants to be."
In other rehab news:
• Catcher Elias Diaz (right elbow strain) threw to the bases Wednesday for the second consecutive day.
"We're going to see how he comes out of that and responds to the physiological load of throwing on two consecutive days, and we'll move forward as indicated," Tomczyk said.
• Jared Hughes (left lat muscle strain) made his fourth rehab appearance on Wednesday, throwing two innings of three-run ball
"Jared continues to check all the boxes off," Tomczyk said.
• Cory Luebke (right hamstring tightness) started his rehab assignment last Thursday and has made two relief appearances, allowing three runs over four innings.
"Cory Luebke is going to continue to get opportunities in Indianapolis to pitch multiple innings out of the bullpen," Tomczyk said.
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Vogelsong limits damage during bases-loaded jam; Pirates win in extras
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DENVER -- The biggest inning isn't always the last. While the Pirates and Rockies battled deep into extra innings -- with Pittsburgh winning, 9-8, after 12 -- the frame that kept the game alive for the Bucs was the bottom of the sixth.
With the Pirates leading by three, starting pitcher Jonathon Niese lost his touch in the sixth, giving up three straight singles to open the inning and load the bases. Manager Clint Hurdle came to the mound and took the ball from Niese, handing it off to Ryan Vogelsong.
"That's just a rough deal when you're the manager," Hurdle said. "You go out there and you get one of your middle relievers and give him the ball with the bases loaded, nobody out. It's not what you draw up the night before."
Vogelsong entered the game with a 1-0 record and a 3.60 ERA in four games, including a five-inning start against Detroit on April 13. He also brought a dozen seasons in the big leagues and a couple World Series' worth of experience to the mound with him.
"That's not the first time that's happened to me, coming into a game with the bases loaded and nobody out," Vogelsong said. "Honestly, I didn't even think about it as being a bases loaded and nobody out situation. I was just coming in and trying to get a guy out as fast as I can. Once I got on the mound I was kind of thinking, 'Punch him out and get a double play.'"
The Rockies sent pinch-hitter Cristhian Adames to the plate, and he nearly worked a walk to score a run as Vogelsong fell behind in his punchout plan.
"It wasn't the ideal situation to fall behind 3-0 there," Vogelsong said. "It didn't quite go the way I was thinking, but I was able to make pitches and minimize the damage and get us out of a big spot."
Vogelsong got a lot of help from shortstop Jordy Mercer and a heads-up play on a hard-hit ball from Adames that looked like trouble. Adames sent a hard one-hopper up the middle, which was deflected by Josh Harrison and then picked up by Mercer, who threw to third in time to get Nick Hundley as Ryan Raburn crossed the plate with a run to cut the lead to two.
"It was right in front of me," Mercer said of the play. "Nick paused for a second. I guess he thought Josh was going to catch it or something. When it popped off, I knew we didn't have a chance at second, and I saw Nick pause and take a step back towards second, so I knew we had a shot at third without even turning around and looking. I just picked up the ball and threw to third and it worked out for us."
With one run in, one out, and men on first and second, Gerardo Parra drilled a liner to right, but directly at Gregory Polanco for the second out.
Then record-breaking rookie Trevor Story came to the plate, having already hit his ninth homer of the season. But Vogelsong prevailed, catching the right-handed hitter looking at strike three, stranding two Rockies and preserving the two-run lead.
"It definitely can change the tide for a team momentum-wise," Vogelsong said. "You play a long game like that and come out on the losing side, it can knock you back for a little bit. The fact that we're getting in these battles and coming out on the right side is good for our momentum."
</section>
Vogelsong limits damage during bases-loaded jam; Pirates win in extras
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DENVER -- The biggest inning isn't always the last. While the Pirates and Rockies battled deep into extra innings -- with Pittsburgh winning, 9-8, after 12 -- the frame that kept the game alive for the Bucs was the bottom of the sixth.
With the Pirates leading by three, starting pitcher Jonathon Niese lost his touch in the sixth, giving up three straight singles to open the inning and load the bases. Manager Clint Hurdle came to the mound and took the ball from Niese, handing it off to Ryan Vogelsong.
"That's just a rough deal when you're the manager," Hurdle said. "You go out there and you get one of your middle relievers and give him the ball with the bases loaded, nobody out. It's not what you draw up the night before."
Vogelsong entered the game with a 1-0 record and a 3.60 ERA in four games, including a five-inning start against Detroit on April 13. He also brought a dozen seasons in the big leagues and a couple World Series' worth of experience to the mound with him.
"That's not the first time that's happened to me, coming into a game with the bases loaded and nobody out," Vogelsong said. "Honestly, I didn't even think about it as being a bases loaded and nobody out situation. I was just coming in and trying to get a guy out as fast as I can. Once I got on the mound I was kind of thinking, 'Punch him out and get a double play.'"
The Rockies sent pinch-hitter Cristhian Adames to the plate, and he nearly worked a walk to score a run as Vogelsong fell behind in his punchout plan.
"It wasn't the ideal situation to fall behind 3-0 there," Vogelsong said. "It didn't quite go the way I was thinking, but I was able to make pitches and minimize the damage and get us out of a big spot."
Vogelsong got a lot of help from shortstop Jordy Mercer and a heads-up play on a hard-hit ball from Adames that looked like trouble. Adames sent a hard one-hopper up the middle, which was deflected by Josh Harrison and then picked up by Mercer, who threw to third in time to get Nick Hundley as Ryan Raburn crossed the plate with a run to cut the lead to two.
"It was right in front of me," Mercer said of the play. "Nick paused for a second. I guess he thought Josh was going to catch it or something. When it popped off, I knew we didn't have a chance at second, and I saw Nick pause and take a step back towards second, so I knew we had a shot at third without even turning around and looking. I just picked up the ball and threw to third and it worked out for us."
With one run in, one out, and men on first and second, Gerardo Parra drilled a liner to right, but directly at Gregory Polanco for the second out.
Then record-breaking rookie Trevor Story came to the plate, having already hit his ninth homer of the season. But Vogelsong prevailed, catching the right-handed hitter looking at strike three, stranding two Rockies and preserving the two-run lead.
"It definitely can change the tide for a team momentum-wise," Vogelsong said. "You play a long game like that and come out on the losing side, it can knock you back for a little bit. The fact that we're getting in these battles and coming out on the right side is good for our momentum."
</section>
Hurdle almost blew this game by keeping neise in after getting shelled.i could not believe that he was not calling the pen to get someone up.These were really solid hits to,not some dink and dunks in the outfield.To bad they postponed the game today as it would have been nice to sweep this series.
by the way,is anybody going to the cubs/pirates game next tuesday?? I checked and i seen arieta is supposed to start that night and it would be good to meet up with some posters from here if they are going
