PITTSBURG – Oneil Cruz hit a two-run home run to highlight a four-run sixth inning, leading the Pittsburgh Pirates to defeat the Colorado Rockies 5-3 on Sunday for a series victory.
Cruz sent a slider from Ryan Feltner (1-3) 429 feet to right center, bouncing his fifth of the season off the roof of a bar beyond the stands to put Pittsburgh ahead 4-3. He also had a double in his first game, with multiple extra-base hits in 35 games this season.
Rowdy Tellez then hit a double to right before scoring on a single by Jack Suwinski. Feltner, who gave up five runs on eight hits in 5 2/3 innings, began the inning by allowing a single to Connor Joe and a double to Bryan Reynolds on the first four pitches. Joe scored on a grounder by Ke’Bryan Hayes.
The Pirates won the final two games of the three-game set, their first victory in the series since winning two of three games against Baltimore from April 5-7. The Rockies, who have lost seven of eight, have yet to win a series.
Luis Ortiz (2-1) was perfect in 1 2/3 innings after replacing Pittsburgh starter Bailey Falter with one out in the sixth. David Bednar picked up his sixth save, allowing a Sean Bouchard double before striking out Jake Cave in the ninth.
Jacob Stallings and Bouchard put Colorado ahead 3-0 on back-to-back home runs off Falter in the second inning. Stallings drove in two runs, hitting a sinker 414 feet into the bushes in center; Bouchard sent a fastball 400 feet into the left field stands.
Falter gave up three runs on six hits.
Cruz doubled off Clemente Wall in right field with one out in the fourth and Hayes scored the Pirates’ first run when Tellez homered to Feltner.
NEXT
Rockies: RHP Dakota Hudson (0-5, 5.93) will start Tuesday, returning home for a three-game series against San Francisco.
Pirates: RHP Mitch Keller (2-3, 5.18) will take over on Monday to start a three-game series against the Angels.
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