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The Leading Logic In Sports Handicapping |
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DENVER (Ticker) -- Any fans arriving late to Coors Field on
Saturday missed most of the action.
Scott Podsednik collected four hits, including a career-best
three doubles, as the Colorado Rockies scored seven runs in the
first two innings en route to a 7-1 victory over the Pittsburgh
Pirates on Saturday night.
"I'm not used to batting in the first inning," Omar Quintanilla
said of hitting in the eighth slot in the Rockies' lineup.
"Usually I hit in the second or third inning, but our offense
got going and hitting got contagious that one inning. We got
rolling, scored a couple of runs and (starter Jorge) De La Rosa
did the rest."
Brad Hawpe had a RBI double among his three hits and Quintanilla
added a pair of two-base hits and two RBI for Colorado, which
hopes to complete a four-game sweep of Pittsburgh on Sunday.
"It's only three games and this pendulum swings big both ways,"
Rockies manager Clint Hurdle said. "We won the series and that
was objective number one."
Podsednik recorded the eighth four-hit game in his career, and
the part-time starter is hoping to keep it going.
"All hitters go through hot streaks and cold streaks and it
seems like I've been cold for quite some time," Podsednik said.
"I'm hoping it's just because of the inconsistent at-bats.
Tonight was a real confidence boost. A few games ago, I really
had no feel at the plate.
"Something clicked and I had a good feeling up there and
hopefully that will carry on."
The Pirates have now lost four of their last five games.
"We're just not getting anything going offensively," Pirates
manager John Russell said. "It seems like we can't jump out
into the lead. Tonight we did, then the next thing you know it's
5-1, 7-1."
The lefthander De La Rosa (4-5) fell behind early, as Ryan
Doumit delivered an RBI single in the first. Pittsburgh loaded
the bases later in the inning, but De La Rosa struck out Jose
Bautista to avoid further damage.
De La Rosa lasted six innings, allowed one run, seven hits and
two walks while striking out seven.
"I calmed after the first inning, threw more strikes and pitched
much better," De La Rosa said. "I tried to keep the ball down
and throw quality pitches."
After spotting the Pirates a run, the Rockies erupted for five
runs in the bottom of the first. With the bases loaded, Garrett
Atkins began the outburst with a sacrifice fly, and Yorvit
Torrealba and Ian Stewart hit back-to-back RBI singles later in
the frame before Quintanilla capped the uprising with a two-run
double.
The 5-1 lead was extended in the second, when Atkins drove in
Podsednik with a two-out single and scored on Hawpe's double.
That ended the night for Yoslan Herrera (0-1), who surrendered
seven runs and eight hits in just 1 2/3 innings. The rookie
righthander has given up 13 runs and 19 hits over six innings in
two big-league starts.
"He got behind the eight ball quick and couldn't stop it,"
Russell said. "He was yanking pitches, then he got behind in
the count. It was one of those starts where he really had
nothing going for him."
Freddy Sanchez went 3-for-4 for the Pirates.
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