Pirates overcome injury to starting pitcher, send Rockies to 8th straight loss 6-2

Pirates send Rockies to 8th straight loss, 6-2

DENVER — Garrett Jones homered twice and the Pittsburgh Pirates overcame an early injury to starting pitcher Ross Ohlendorf to beat Colorado 6-2 Wednesday, the Rockies’ eighth straight loss.

Ohlendorf left after being hit on the right side of his face by Troy Tulowitzki’s line drive in the first inning. A bruised Ohlendorf got checked at a hospital and was back at Coors Field before the game ended.

The Pirates are 13-38 on the road. They had not won consecutive road games since mid-May at Chicago.

Colorado last lost eight straight in June 2008. Carlos Gonzalez homered for the Rockies.

Sean Gallagher (1-0), acquired July 7 from San Diego, pitched three hitless innings. Five more relievers finished it out for the Pirates.

Jones drove in three runs with his third career two-homer game and second this season. Neil Walker singled home two runs in a four-run third when Aaron Cook (4-7) was chased during his shortest start since last Aug. 16.

It was the second straight poor outing for Cook, who allowed five runs in 4 1-3 innings in a loss Friday at Philadelphia. He gave up a leadoff homer in the second to Jones.

Ohlendorf gave up three hard-hit balls to start the game. Seth Smith led off with a single but was doubled off first when Jonathan Herrera lined out. Gonzalez then singled and took third when Jones missed Ohlendorf’s pickoff attempt.

Tulowitzki followed with a liner that struck Ohlendorf’s head, the ball ricocheting into right field for an RBI single.

Ohlendorf was taken to a Denver hospital, where a CT scan was negative and it was determined he had a bad contusion with an abrasion.

Cook began the third with a strikeout, but walked Gallagher and gave up five consecutive singles before giving way to Manuel Corpas. The first hit by Andrew McCutchen briefly landed in the glove of Gonzalez, who ran into left-center to make the play and was originally charged with an error.

Jose Tabata followed by chopping a high bouncer that second baseman Jonathan Herrera fielded, but Brad Hawpe, playing his fourth game in the majors at first base, strayed too far from the base in pursuit of the ball, and Herrera had no throw. Walker then singled home two runs, and Jones and Pedro Alvarez followed with RBI singles as the Rockies got less than six innings from their starter for the fifth time in the past six games.

NOTES: Rockies closer Huston Street was not available and remains day-to-day. Manager Jim Tracy said Street was still very sore after suffering a right abdominal contusion Tuesday when hit with a line drive during batting practice. … Rockies 1B Todd Helton will drive to Casper on Thursday and play there Friday through Sunday on a rehab assignment with the Rockies affiliate in the Rookie Pioneer League. Helton, who last played July 4 for the Rockies, is on the disabled list with lower back stiffness. … Rockies C Chris Iannetta was scratched from the lineup to be with his wife, Lisa, who gave birth Wednesday to their first child, Ashley Brooke, who weighed 6 pounds, 9 ounces. Iannetta returned from the hospital and was on the bench for the start of the game. … The Pirates have homered in four straight games, matching their season high.