Pirates 9, Rockies 6: Failure to Capitalize on Good Start, Trade Values Diminish

The Rockies offense got to Pittsburgh starter James McDonald early. In the first inning, home runs from Dexter Fowler and Carlos Gonzalez put the Rockies up 3-0. In the second inning, Jordan Pacheco scored on a Marco Scutaro bunt ground out. Later, Andrew Brown (who was an offense bright spot today out of the cleanup spot) would knock in Josh Rutledge on a slow roller back top the pitcher. Brown would later single in Scutaro in the fourth, but the Rockies' offense would fail to appear again.

Jeremy Guthrie is one of several players being scouted today that likely lost some trade value, also including Matt Reynolds and Ramon Hernandez. The pitcher still seems unable to contain the ball in Coors Field. The pesky Rockie-killer Pedro Alvarez took Guthrie deep in the second inning, but the real damage was done in the third, with a three-run homer from Garrett Jones beginning an inning that would end with the Pirates tying the game, and Jim Tracy removing a shellshocked Guthrie before facing his opposing pitcher.

Though reliever Matt Reynolds retired McDonald to end the inning, he would end up getting his first loss of the season in an ugly fifth inning, in which homers from Casey McGehee and Rod Barajas gave Pittsburgh the three run lead they maintained until game's end. Mike Ekstrom, Rex Brothers, Matt Belisle and Rafael Betancourt all pitched clean junk innings.

Thankfully for the pen, the Rockies are off tomorrow, while they travel to San Diego. In the upcoming series against the Padres, who have passed the Rockies for fourth place in the standings since we last played them, the Rockies will face a trio of interesting starting pitchers, including former Rockies Jason marquis and Kip Wells, plus the man who spawned this:

Mr. Ross Ohlendorf himself.

via www.fangraphs.com