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Pirates Take First Game Of Series

Neil Walker had three hits, including a no-doubt homer in the eighth, and Zach Duke allowed runs only on two solo homers as the Pirates defeated the Rockies, 4-2.

Duke was running along nicely before allowing jacks to Brad Hawpe and Clint Barmes in the fifth, and he left the game after the sixth. Walker’s eighth-inning homer added a bit of insurance by giving the Pirates a two-run cushion, but perhaps the Pirates’ biggest break came in the bottom of the inning, when Rockies leadoff hitter Ryan Spillborghs pointlessly ran himself into an out trying to stretch a double into a triple.

The Bucs’ top three relievers (Evan Meek, Joel Hanrahan, and Octavio Dotel) were otherwise incident-free, and the Bucs held on for the win.

The Rockies have now lost seven straight games.

Photographs by dizfunk used in background montage under Creative Commons. Thank you.