Pirates Sweep Rockies 14-3; Johan Oviedo with Another Gem

The Pittsburgh Pirates completed their sweep of the Colorado Rockies with a 14-3 win Wednesday afternoon. 

Starting pitcher Johan Oviedo (2-1, 2.22 ERA) allowed just three hits and one run in six innings, punching out six on 84 pitches. Pittsburgh batted around the order in the first inning, taking a commanding 5-0 lead that they never relinquished.

Pittsburgh scored 33 runs in the series, their most in a three game set since 2000, when they put up 34 in a July series against the Padres at Three Rivers Stadium.

Third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes began the game with a double. Designated hitter Andrew McCutchen swapped places with Hayes on a double of his own to open the scoring. First baseman Carlos Santana singled McCutchen home, scoring himself on a double from right fielder Connor Joe.

Rockies’ starter Austin Gomber walked Mark Mathias and Jack Suwinski to load the bases, and catcher Jason Delay made it 5-0 with a two-run single.

The onslaught resumed in the second with a solo shot by McCutchen. 

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Santana walked and Joe singled to put runners at the corners, and shortstop Rodolfo Castro singled Santana home. Mathias doubled to plate another run, and Suwinski stretched the lead to 9-0 with a sacrifice fly.

The Rockies got one back in the bottom of the fourth after designated hitter Kris Bryant drew a leadoff walk.

Third baseman Ryan McMahon singled—the first hit Oviedo allowed—and a Mike Moustakas sacrifice fly made it 9-1.

Suwinski walked again in the fifth. Delay smoked a fly ball to left-center, but it bounced out of the stadium, saving a run on the ground-rule double. 

Welcome to the Ump Show

Hayes grounded out, with second baseman Alan Trejo looking off Suwinski to freeze him at third, and home plate umpire Adam Beck called Bryan Reynolds out on strikes—two of which were well out of the zone—to end the inning. Reynolds took issue with the calls, prompting Beck to toss him from the game.

Santana and Joe both singled in the sixth, and Castro obliterated a ball 458 feet to straightaway center to go up 12-1.

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Oviedo worked around a pair of singles in the bottom of the frame to end his day on a high note.

Rodolfo Castro pounced on another fly ball in the eighth, hitting it 107.3 miles per hour at a 33 degree launch angle, but the wind knocked it down into the glove of center fielder Harold Castro.

Moustakas worked a walk in the bottom of the inning, moving to second on a groundout and scoring on a single from Harold Castro.

Hayes singled and Ji-Hwan Bae walked in the top of the ninth. Tucupita Marcano slugged a pinch-hit double to score Hayes, and Santana made it 14-2 on a groundout.

The Rockies scored another run on an RBI double in the bottom of the ninth on the way to a 14-3 final.

The Pittsburgh Pirates move to 12-7 on the season. They return home for a four game slate with the Cincinnati Reds (part of a seven game home stand) starting at 6:35 p.m. Thursday. Roansy Contreras (1-1, 6.00 ERA) is set to face off against Luke Weaver, who will make his first appearance of the young season.