The Pittsburgh Pirates relied on their veteran hitters and young pitchers to coast to a 9-0 victory in Friday’s series opener against the visiting Colorado Rockies.
Tommy Pham homered and doubled while driving in two and scoring three times, Andrew McCutchen drove in four on a pair of doubles. Pittsburgh’s two oldest players led the 14-hit attack, which included seven doubles and three home runs.
Meanwhile, rookies Braxton Ashcraft (4-2) and Bubba Chandler limited the Rockies to just three hits as the Pirates won for the third time in four games.
Spencer Horwitz and Alexander Canario each added homers in the win.
Unlike his last start against the Pirates three weeks ago, Colorado starter Antonio Senzatela (4-15) made it through the first inning. Still, Pittsburgh gashed him as six of the eight hits he allowed over four innings were doubles. He gave up five runs while striking out four and walking three.
On an evening when the Pirates welcomed a new class of former players to their hall of fame, it was a future member of that group who put the Pirates up early. McCutchen, the 2013 National League MVP, hit his run-scoring doubles in the first two innings – both with two outs – as the hosts jumped ahead 5-0.
That was more than enough for Ashcraft, who earned his first career victory as a starter. He went five innings and allowed just a walk and a hit. He also struck out a season-best six.
Chandler, the Pirates’ highly touted prospect officially called up earlier in the day, made his major league debut in the sixth. He allowed a double to Orlando Arcia to start the inning, but he retired the next three batters. He struck out two, ending the inning by getting Mickey Moniak swinging at a 100.4 mph fastball above the strike zone.
The Georgia native needed just 16 pitches to get through the next two innings. That enabled him to get a four-inning save, becoming the first Pirates pitcher and fourth pitcher in major-league history to throw a four-inning save in his debut.
–Field Level Media
