DENVER _ To take advantage of the Coors Field jet-stream requires putting the baseball in the air. The Colorado Rockies had the right idea Sunday, when they banged five home runs in a 13-3 win, while the Pirates hit just eight balls out of the infield and lost back-to-back games for the first time since July 1-2.
Right-hander Ivan Nova was charged with seven runs in five-plus innings, the most damage done against him since he was traded to the Pirates a year ago. He allowed nine hits, including two home runs, walked two and hit a batter.
Left-hander Wade LeBlanc relieved Nova and allowed five runs, including two two-run home runs, on four hits and two walks in the seven-run sixth inning.
The Pirates (49-50) lost their first series since they were swept by the San Francisco Giants June 30-July 2 at PNC Park. They'll have another crack at the Giants, who are 23 games under .500, this week, as the Pirates head to San Francisco next and then San Diego for a pair of three-game series.
The only positive for the Pirates was the fact the first-place Milwaukee Brewers also lost, which leaves Pittsburgh three games back of the division lead.
The Rockies collected 15 hits. Charlie Blackmon singled twice and homered. Mark Reynolds homered twice and singled. Trevor Story and Pat Valaika also hit home runs.
Left-hander Kyle Freeland, the Rockies starter, was coming off a near no-hitter in his most recent start, an 8 1/3-inning effort July 9, which concluded with the Chicago White Sox's Melky Cabrera muscling a single into left field.
On Sunday, Freeland was perfect for the first seven out before Jordy Mercer put any further no-hit speculation to rest with an infield single. In the fourth, Josh Bell struck an RBI single to right field, the first run off Freeland since July 4, but Mercer grounded out with two outs and left the bases loaded.
Freeland gave up two runs over six innings. He recorded 13 ground-ball outs and saw only four balls leave the infield, three of which were in the air.
After two quiet innings, the Rockies jumped on Nova in a four-run third, sending nine batters to the plate. The trouble started with a Story leadoff walk. After Ryan Hanigan singled, Freeland sacrificed the runners into scoring position. Blackmon dropped an RBI single in front of Jose Osuna, who was slow to the ball, in right field. Run-scoring singles from Nolan Arenado and Reynolds put the Rockies ahead, 4-0, before the inning was out.
Their fifth run came when Blackmon led off the fifth with a long solo home run to left field, shooting his 24th homer this season to the opposite field off Nova. David Freese answered with a solo shot to center field leading off the sixth, his first homer since June 6.
For the Pirates, the wheels fully fell off in the sixth inning. Story slugged a two-run home run off Nova, which brought an end to the starter's outing. In came LeBlanc. Hanigan walked. The pinch-hitter Valaika homered. LeMahieu walked and advanced on a wild pitch. Arenado struck an RBI single. Reynolds homered.
After Gonzalez doubled, bringing Story to bat for the second time in the inning, Hurdle called on right-hander Daniel Hudson, who finally closed the inning.
