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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
PITTSBURGH (AP) -- As the Colorado Rockies move above .500, the
Pittsburgh Pirates are threatening to beat Todd Helton to .400.
Todd Walker homered in a four-run Colorado first inning aided by
Aramis Ramirez's two-run throwing error and the Rockies had 17
singles in beating the Pittsburgh Pirates 11-4 Saturday.
|  | | Jeff Cirillo scores in the seventh inning on a Todd Hollandsworth single when Pirates catcher Jason Kendall drops the ball. |
Helton, who was 1-for-12 since raising his average to .400 on
Monday, went 2-for-4 to improve his average one point to .393 as he
tries to become the first player in 59 years to bat .400.
"A whole point? I'll celebrate that," Helton said. "No matter
what happens, 2-for-4 is a good day. I haven't been swinging the
bat too well lately, so it's good to get a hit. I'm just missing on
some pitches."
Helton, helped by a batting practice session Friday with hitting
coach Clint Hurdle, had a run-scoring single in the third and
doubled ahead of Jeffrey Hammonds' RBI single as the Rockies opened
a 6-3 lead against Jose Silva (8-8).
Silva failed to last five innings for the fourth time in his
last five starts, allowing five earned runs and nine hits in four
innings.
Helton also drew a bases-loaded walk in the ninth before
Hammonds' two-run single -- the Rockies' 19th hit, with only
Helton's double and Walker's homer for extra bases.
The Pirates lost their third in a row and ninth in 12 games for
their 75th loss in a season that owner Kevin McClatchy predicted
they could win 90 games. Their 52-75 record (.409) is the worst in
the majors.
Manager Gene Lamont, who has patiently waited for the Pirates to
straighten out season-long problems with their defense, their
bullpen and their clutch hitting, aired out his team in a brief
postgame meeting.
"He talked about things that needed to be addressed," Brian
Giles said. "It didn't surprise us."
Can the Pirates salvage anything from what likely will be their
eighth consecutive losing season?
"You can if you're any kind of competitor," Giles said. "You
have to push yourself no matter how hard it is."
The Rockies (65-64), by contrast, need seven victories to match
last year's total of 72. They've even started winning away from
Coors Field, winning seven of 10 since losing 38 of their first 57
road games.
"The road thing has been an honest criticism," manager Buddy
Bell said. "We haven't done much this year or in the past. If the
guys get it in their minds they can win on the road, it can help."
Pedro Astacio (11-8) withstood Jason Kendall's career-high 13th
homer in the first and a two-run third inning to win his fourth in
five decisions. He lasted five-plus innings, yielding three runs
and eight hits.
Rockies relievers Mike DeJean, Mike Myers, Bobby Chouinard and
Craig House combined for four scoreless innings, with Chouinard
pitching the seventh and eighth.
Juan Pierre, going 4-for-6 a day after failing to get a hit for
the only time in his last 35 pro games, singled off Silva to start
the game before Helton popped out. The runners advanced as Silva
balked.
Ramirez, the third baseman, then threw wildly trying to get
Pierre at the plate on Hammonds' grounder, allowing Pierre and
Perez to score. Walker followed with his fifth homer and the
Rockies' 125th of the season. They began the game tied with
Philadelphia for the fewest homers in the NL.
Pierre is batting .375 since his callup from the minors and is
giving Helton plenty of chances to bat with runners on base.
"He (Pierre) doesn't give up many at-bats and he's not
intimidated at being up here like a lot of rookies are," Bell
said. "I don't see him keeping up at this kind of clip, but I'm
not going to tell him that."
Giles and Kevin Young drove in runs in the Pirates' third,
but the Rockies later got the runs back on RBI singles by Todd
Hollandsworth and pinch-hitter Butch Huskey in the seventh off Jeff
Wallace.
Game notes
The Rockies, 6-3 winners Friday, won the first two games of
a road trip for the first time since Sept. 11-12, 1998. ... Jim
Leyland, who managed the Pirates from 1986-96 and the Rockies last
season, attended the games. He now scouts for the Cardinals. ...
Pierre was 0-for-2 Friday after getting at least one hit in his
last 13 Double-A games, his only four Triple-A games and his first
16 games with Colorado. ... The Rockies are 9-5 on artificial turf.
... Helton has 23 hits in his last 42 at-bats away from Coors
Field. ... Silva has allowed 17 earned runs in 12 1/3 innings in
his last three starts. ... Lamont's postgame meeting was his second
of the season.
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ALSO SEE
Baseball Scoreboard
Colorado Clubhouse
Pittsburgh Clubhouse
RECAPS
Tampa Bay 4
Baltimore 1
Baltimore 2
Tampa Bay 0
(2nd game)
NY Yankees 10
Oakland 6
Detroit 8
Minnesota 2
Toronto 9
Texas 3
Boston 5
Kansas City 3
Seattle 11
Chi. White Sox 5
Cleveland 9
Anaheim 5
Chicago Cubs 6
Los Angeles 4
Colorado 11
Pittsburgh 4
Philadelphia 5
San Francisco 2
Cincinnati 3
Florida 2
Montreal 5
Houston 4
St. Louis 6
Atlanta 3
Arizona 5
NY Mets 1
Milwaukee 6
San Diego 5
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