PITTSBURGH PIRATES NOTES:
THE PIRATES:…improved to 3-2 on their current seven-game road trip with Monday night’s series-opening win at Colorado…Have won six of their last eight games on the road since dropping back-to-back games on 4/1-2…Won a season-high four straight games from 4/3-7…Have not lost back-to-back games since dropping the final two contests of their season-opening series in Cincinnati.
IN THE BIG INNING: The Pirates broke open last night’s game with a six-run second inning that paved the way to a 14-3 win…Prior to last night, the last time the Bucs scored at least six runs in an inning at Coors Field came on August 29, 2019, in a seven-run first inning in an 11-8 win…Last night was also tied for Pittsburgh’s largest margin of victory in Colorado… The Pirates also beat the Rockies in Denver by 11 runs on July 29, 1998 (12-1) and May 7, 1997 (14-3).
JACK’S JACK: Jack Suwinski’s 461-foot home run in the ninth inning Monday night was the farthest by a Pirate this year and the 10th-farthest
by a Bucco in the Statcast era (since 2015)…Pedro Alvarez’ 479-foot bomb on October 4, 2015, off Cincinnati’s Josh Smith at PNC Park is the longest home run hit by a Pirate since 2015…The farthest homer in the Statcast era on the road by a Pirate is 472-feet, accomplished by Jung Ho Kang on September 8, 2015, at Cincinnati.
OTHER HIGHLIGHTS FROM LAST NIGHT: Mark Mathias recorded a career-high four hits…Bryan Reynolds knocked in two runs and enters today tied for the National League lead with 17 RBI this season…The team’s 14 runs were the most on the road since beating the Astros 14-2 on June 26, 2019.
CUTCH’S MILESTONES WATCH: Andrew McCutchen enters today four total bases shy of tying Arky Vaughan for ninth place on the Pirates all-time list with 2,484…McCutchen is also one double shy of tying Dave Parker for seventh place on the Pirates all-time list with 296 and one hit shy of breaking a tie with Dave Parker (1479) and moving into sole possession of 13th place on the Pirates all-time hit list with 1480…Al Oliver is 12th with 1490 hits.
WELCOME HOME CUTCH: Andrew McCutchen has reached base safely in 12 straight games, has hit safely in five straight and six of his last seven games and at a .333 clip (14-for-42) with a .983 OPS in his last 11 contests dating back to April 5…McCutchen’s .819 OPS as a designated hitter ranks third in all of Major League Baseball, trailing only Joc Pederson (.895) and Shohei Ohtani (.876).
PLAYING THE FIELD: The Pirates enter today with a season-high errorless streak of 43.2 innings, which is their longest stretch since going 54.1 innings without a miscue from August 8-16, 2022…The 43.2 innings is also the third-longest active errorless streak in MLB behind the Mets (61 innings) and A’s (52 innings)…Special thanks to the Elias Sports Bureau.
AT THE HOT CORNER: Ke’Bryan Hayes had a career-high tying three RBI last night and is hitting .348 (8-for-23) with two doubles, a triple, home run and four RBI in his last six games…Hayes has not made an error in 47 total chances in 16 games, one of three third basemen in MLB to play at least 16 games without making an error this season along with Seattle’s Eugenio Suarez (no errors in 49 total chances) and Boston’s Rafael Devers (no errors in 34 total chances)… Since the beginning of last season, Hayes’ 26 Defensive Runs Saved are the most in all of baseball regardless of position according to the Fielding Bible…Brendan Rodgers ranks second (22).
A CON-VINCE-ING PERFORMANCE: Vince Velasquez will make his fourth start with the Bucs tonight after earning his first win in his last outing…Velasquez scattered three hits over 6.0 innings while throwing 60 of his 95 pitches for strikes in Pittsburgh’s 5-0 shutout Thursday night at St. Louis…Velasquez also recorded a combined 32 called strikes and whiffs in his last time out…Ten of the 18 whiffs Velasquez tallied came via his four-seam fastball according to Baseball Savant.
ON THE ROAD: The Bucs are 6-2 in their last eight road games and 7-4 overall this year away from PNC Park…It’s the team’s best road start since also going 7-4 after the first 11 games in 2018 (Pittsburgh’s last 8-4 road start came in 2004)…Pittsburgh’s 14 home runs on the road are tied for the third-most in MLB behind the Giants (19) and Braves (18)… The Pirates have also recorded the third-lowest road ERA (3.04) in all of Major League Baseball coming into today behind the Twins (2.30) and Braves (2.33).
GETTING STRETCHED OUT: Pittsburgh’s starters have worked at least 6.0 innings in each of the last seven games… That’s the longest stretch since making eight straight of at least 6.0 innings from April 10-19, 2019…The starting staff has recorded a 2.30 ERA (43.0ip/11er) during this current seven-game stretch.
27 – RHP VINCE VELASQUEZ
VINCE VELASQUEZ: The 30-year-old righthander is making his fourth start of the season tonight…Won a 5-0 decision (6.0ip) in his last start Thursday at St. Louis.
vs. COLORADO: 2-1 with a 4.75 ERA (41.2ip/22er) in nine career appearances (eight starts)…His only appearance last year came in 1.0 scoreless inning of relief as a member of the White Sox on 9/14…His last appearance at Coors Field came on 4/23/21 when he had a no-decision (4.0ip/2er) in a walkoff win by the Rockies over the Phillies.
COLORADO ROCKIES NOTES:
WHAT’S GOING ON
• The Colorado Rockies continue their brief three-game homestand tonight with the second of three games against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
• The Rockies dropped last night’s game 14-3, their largest margin of defeat since losing 16-4 to the Texas Rangers, Aug. 24, 2022 … infielder Alan Trejo pitched the ninth inning for the Rockies, the ninth position player in franchise history to make a pitching appearance.
• Following this homestand, the Rockies embark on a seven-game road trip to Philadelphia (Thursday-Sunday) and Cleveland (April 24-26).
RESET
• The Rockies have dropped a season-high six-straight games, their longest losing streak since a seven-game skid Sept. 24-Oct. 1, 2022.
• Colorado has been outscored 45-18 over the past six games … the Rockies have slashed .228/.290/.360 with six home runs over the losing streak, including a .152 (7-for-46) average with runners in scoring position … have posted a 5.65 team ERA (51.0 IP, 32 ER) with an opponent average of .277 (57-for-206), including a .408 average with runners in scoring position (20-for-49).
SERIESLY
• The Rockies have not won any of their first five series of the season, dropping three and splitting two … last went winless through their first five series of the season in 2019, when they dropped or split their first five series before sweeping San Diego in two games for their first series win.
• The last time Colorado went deeper into a season without winning a series was in 2005, when they recorded their first series win in their seventh series of the season, April 22-24 vs. Los Angeles-NL.
YO-HO-HO
• The Rockies went 3-3 against the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2022, winning two of three at Coors Field while dropping two of three at PNC Park.
• Colorado is 5-2 over their last seven home games against the Pirates after losing six in a row to Pittsburgh at Coors Field Aug. 7, 2018-Sept. 1, 2019.
• Elias Díaz played the first five years of his career in Pittsburgh from 2015-19 … in eight games against his former club, he has gone 8-for-26 with one double, one triple and two home runs.
• Kris Bryant has a career slash line of .355/.463/.609 with 31 doubles and 20 home runs in 99 career games against the Giants … his .355 average (130-for-366) is the second-highest all-time against Pittsburgh, trailing only Lefty O’Doul (.360, 1928-34).
OFF THE SCHNEID
• Kris Bryant hit his first home run at Coors Field as a member of the Rockies last night, with each of his previous six coming on the road, including his first home run of the season Friday in Seattle.
• Bryant is slashing .323/.380/.477 on the season and has reached base safely in 15 of 16 games … has reached base safely in 52 of 58 total games in his Rockies career, slashing .311/.377/.476 in his Rockies career.
ARM BARN
• The Rockies bullpen has tossed 65.2 innings of relief through 17 games, tied for the fifth-most in the Majors.
• Over the last 12 games the bullpen has posted a 3.70 ERA (48.2 IP, 20 ER) with 23 walks and 51 strikeouts while allowing just three home runs.
• Since allowing one earned run in his first outing of the season, LHP Brad Hand has put together six consecutive scoreless appearances (4.2 IP), striking out eight through this span.
• Brent Suter was tagged for four unearned runs Saturday but has allowed just two earned runs through 10.1 inning (six games) this season, good for a 1.74 ERA while tied for the most innings of relief in the NL …the left-hander has fanned nine while walking three and giving up seven hits.
ROCKIES STARTING PITCHER – #51 JOSÉ UREÑA RHP
THE SECOND TIME AROUND
• Made 17 starts in a Rockies uniform in 2023, going 3-8 (Rockies 6-11) while posting a 5.14 ERA (89.1 IP, 51 ER) with 38 walks and 60 strikeouts … allowed 10 home runs while opponents slashed .289/.356/.425 (102-for-353).
• Signed by the Rockies to a Minor League contract on May 16 … was a member of Milwaukee’s Opening Day roster and made four appearances out of the bullpen before being designated for assignment on May 2.
• Re-signed by the Rockies to a one-year Major League contract on Nov. 11, 2022.
RIGHT THE SHIP
• Allowed three runs over five innings in his last start on April 12 vs. St. Louis, his longest start of the season after failing to make it out of the third inning in his first two starts of the year … all three runs came on a solo home run and a two-run home run.
• Logged six strikeouts for the first time since Sept. 28, 2022 at San Francisco … walked one batter after walking seven and striking out one over his first two starts.
ONWARDS
• Failed to make it out of the third inning in both of his first two starts, allowing 10 total runs (eight earned) on 12 hits across five innings this season … has walked seven and struck out two.
• Was the first starter in franchise history to begin a Rockies season with two starts of less than three innings … RHP Victor Santos (Sept. 14 & Sept. 22, 2002) and RHP Marvin Freeman (April 27 & May 2, 1995) each began their seasons with two such starts, but not at the beginning of the Rockies’ season.
SUPPORT SYSTEM
• Has received 27 total runs of support over his 20 starts with the Rockies since last season, a 2.25 run support average that is the lowest in the Majors.
• Has not received more than two runs of support since Aug. 30 of last season, his last win (3-2 Rockies at Atlanta).
• His 2.42 RSA in 2022 was the lowest in the Majors (min. 15 starts) and the lowest for a Rockies starter in a single-season in franchise history (min. 15 GS).
THE FINAL STRETCH
• Spun at least five frames and allowed two or fewer earned runs in each of his last five starts for the Rockies in 2022, good for a 2.25 ERA (28.0 IP, 7 ER) through that span.
COORS FIELD
• Was 2-5 (Rockies 3-5) in eight starts at Coors Field in 2022, posting a 6.30 ERA (40.0 IP, 28 ER) with 18 walks and 29 strikeouts … allowed opponents to bat .311 (51-for-164) with six home runs … walked multiple batters in seven of eight starts (4.05 BB/9).
• Received a total of nine runs of support across his eight starts, with seven of those runs coming Aug. 19 vs. San Francisco in a 7-4 Rockies win … received no runs five times and one run twice.
ARRGGHHHHH
• 2-3 in 12 career appearances (five starts) against the Pirates, logging a 5.26 ERA (39.1 IP, 23 ER) with 10 walks and 19 strikeouts … 4.08 ERA (28.2 IP, 13 ER) in his five starts with six walks and 17 strikeouts.
• Made one start against Pittsburgh in 2022 on July 16 at Coors Field, tossing six scoreless innings with two walks and four strikeouts … made two relief appearances against Pittsburgh while with Milwaukee April 18 and 26 and allowed three runs (one earned) over 3.1 innings (2.70 ERA).
A ROUND OF APPLAUSE
• Had his contract selected from Triple-A Albuquerque on July 6, 2022 and made his first start in a Rockies uniform that night at Dodger Stadium.
• Did not factor into the Rockies’ 2-1 loss despite tossing 6.2 innings and allowing one run on five hits with three walks and two strikeouts … tossed six scoreless innings before exiting the game in the seventh inning with the bases loaded and two outs … runner came around to score on a wild pitch by reliever Jake Bird.
• 11th start of his career, third on the road, tossing at least 6.2 innings and allowing one or fewer runs (last: April 14, 2019 vs. Philadelphia).
• Became the 15th pitcher in franchise history to toss at least 6.2 innings and allow one or fewer runs in his first start with the club (last: Tim Melville, Aug. 21, 2019 at Arizona).
SWEET AND SOUR AND SWEET AGAIN
• Began his Rockies career in 2022 with three-straight quality starts July 6-16, going 1-1 with a 1.45 ERA (18.2 IP, 3 ER) over that span … became the fifth Rockie in franchise history to record a quality start in each of his first three starts with the club, joining Joe Kennedy (four-straight, 2004), Jon Garland (2013), Jason Jennings (2001) and Bryan Rekar (1995).
• In his start on Aug. 24 vs. Texas, became the first Rockie in history to allow at least nine hits and nine earned runs in 1.1 innings or fewer, the 24th in Major League history (last: Mike Fiers, Sept. 9, 2021 at Houston; 1.0 IP, 9 H, 9 ER).
• Earned his first win as a Rockie on July 16 vs. Pittsburgh, tossing six scoreless innings in a 2-0 Rockies win … sixth time in his career tossing at least six scoreless, the first time since July 29, 2018 vs. Washington.
• In 17 starts with the Rockies, posted seven quality outings and allowed five or more earned runs four times.
BREW CREW
• Was signed by the Brewers to a Minor League contract on March 29, 2022 and had his contract selected to the Major League roster on March 30.
• Made four relief appearances with the Brewers in April before being designated for assignment on May 2 … cleared waivers and was outrighted to the Minors on May 9 … refused his Minor League assignment and declared free agency the same day.
• Was scoreless in two of four relief outings, allowing a combined five runs (three earned) on seven hits across 7.2 innings (3.52 ERA) … walked five while striking out three.
• Last relief outing came on April 26 at Pittsburgh … allowed three runs (one earned) on four hits across 2.1 innings.
