The Colorado Rockies broke open a tie game in the 8^th inning after scoring three runs off of Jose Veras, as they went on to beat the Pirates, 6-4.

After a leadoff walk to Jonathan Herrera and a single to Carlos Gonzalez, Veras struck out the next two Rockies in a row. Jose Lopez was hit by a pitch to load to the bases and former Bucco Ty Wigginton came to the plate.

Wigginton took the first pitch down the left field line for a bases clearing double to give the Rockies a 6-3 lead.

Veras told Rob Biertempfel of the Tribune, “I tried to come in and set up my breaking ball, maybe (get) a broken-bat rollover. That was the pitch that cost me the game.”

Right-hander Charlie Morton made his second start of the season on Saturday. He allowed three runs (two earned) on five hits with five walks and one strikeouts over seven innings (92 pitches).

Morton told Rob Biertempfel of the Tribune, “If the plate was moved over a foot toward the right-hander’s batter’s box, I’d be in a lot better shape. I wasn’t spraying balls everywhere. I was missing down and in to righties and away to lefties.”

Morton got off to a shaky start in the first inning. He allowed a lead off walk to Dexter Fowler, who stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error by catcher Ryan Doumit. Morton walked the next batter, Herrera to put runners on the corners with no outs.

Gonzalez hit into a 6-4-3 double play but Fowler scored to give the Rockies a 1-0 lead. Morton got Troy Tulowitzki to fly out to escape the inning.

Morton threw 17 pitches in the inning, just five for strikes.

Lyle Overbay hit a lead off double off of right-hander Greg Reynolds in the 2^nd. Two batters later, Ryan Doumit hit a two-run homer to right center to give the Bucs a 2-1 lead. The homer marked Doumit’s 48^th as a Bucco. He is now tied with Smoky Burgess and Manny Sanguillen for fourth place on the club’s all-time homer list. 

The Rockies tied the game at 2 in the 3^rd inning after Morton allowed walking Fowler (for a second time in as many innings) and a RBI single by Gonzalez.

Jose Lopez homered off Morton in the 6^th to put the Rockies back on top, 3-2.

The Pirates tied the game back up at 3 after Matt Diaz hit a RBI single to score Ryan Doumit.

The Rockies blew the game open in the 8^th after three runs scored off of Jose Veras.

Jose Tabata hit a solo-home run in the bottom of the 8^th inning to cut the lead to, 6-4, and extend his hitting streak to nine games. Tabata also hit a home run during last night’s game.

Kevin Correia pitched the 9^th inning for the Bucs. He needed just nine pitches to retire the side.

The Pirates threatened in the bottom of the inning after both Matt Diaz and Jason Jaramillo singled, but Steve Pearce hit into a 6-4-3 double play to end the game.