Yoshi Tsutsugo’s tiebreaking infield single in the eighth inning Monday gave the Pittsburgh Pirates a 2-1 win over the visiting Colorado Rockies.
Against Tyler Kinley (1-1) in the eighth, Ke’Bryan Hayes led off with a single to right. An out later, he stole second, then moved to third on Daniel Vogelbach’s groundout. Tsutsugo beat out a chopper as Hayes scored.
Hayes was 3-for-3 with an RBI double as the Pirates broke a three-game losing streak.
Pittsburgh starter JT Brubaker pitched 6 2/3 innings, giving up an unearned run and five hits with four strikeouts and two walks.
David Bednar (1-0) got the final four outs.
Colorado starter Chad Kuhl pitched 4 1/3 innings, allowing one run and five hits with one strikeout and four walks. The Rockies have lost two straight.
The Pirates took a 1-0 lead in the first. Ben Gamel drew a leadoff walk and went to second on a wild pitch. Hayes drove him in with a double down the line in right.
Ryan McMahon walked to lead off the Colorado fourth. Brendan Rodgers reached when Brubaker fielded his potential double-play grounder but turned and threw the ball into center field, with McMahon going to third. Randal Grichuk’s double-play grounder got McMahon home to make it 1-1.
In the fifth, the Pirates chased Kuhl after Gamel singled to center with one out and Hayes walked, but Ty Blach relieved and got Bryan Reynolds to ground into a double play.
The Rockies returned the favor, chasing Brubaker in the seventh after Jose Iglesias got an infield single with one out and Sam Hilliard singled to left. Elias Diaz popped out before Wil Crowe replaced Brubaker and got Connor Joe to fly out.
In the bottom of the seventh, Rodolfo Castro doubled to the corner in right and went to third on Jack Suwinski’s flyout. Michael Perez grounded into a fielder’s choice to Rodgers at second. Rodgers threw home, where Castro was called safe sliding in. Colorado won a challenge, and the play was overturned, keeping the score 1-1.
Colorado left fielder Kris Bryant was a lineup scratch because of back soreness.
–Field Level Media
