Pirates vs Rockies Recap: Horwitz HR Lifts Pirates, But they Fall to 2-1

You could feel the energy shift in the first inning. Spencer Horwitz stepped up to face Tomoyuki Sugano and launched a fastball that rocketed over the right field wall. The ball sailed 434 feet and the Pirates went ahead 1-0 before Colorado even batted. But the Rockies answered right back. Jake McCarthy faced Paul Skenes and smacked a fastball up the middle—but here's the wild part. McCarthy ran so fast he turned a routine single into an inside-the-park home run! The ball bounced around just 341 feet, and McCarthy's blazing speed tied it up 1-1. Two teams, two home runs, two completely different ways to score. The game was already electric and we were barely out of the first.

The third inning brought a turning point. Paul Skenes was throwing heat—fastballs clocked at 96 and 97 miles per hour—but with two outs, TJ Rumfield connected on a 97 mph four-seamer and drove it to left field. Jake McCarthy was already on base and raced home easily. Colorado led 2-1. Skenes was dealing with power pitchers who knew how to wait for their pitch. He struck out eight batters through six innings, showing why Pittsburgh built their entire rotation around him. But tonight, one mistake cost him. Rumfield's single in the third proved to be the game-winner, though nobody knew it yet. Both bullpens stayed sharp as the game moved deeper. The Pirates couldn't find their rhythm against Sugano, who scattered four hits and kept Colorado in front.

The ninth inning arrived with the score locked at 2-2. Tension filled the stadium. Pittsburgh needed one more run to steal the game, but Horwitz's bat went silent in the top of the ninth. A soft ground ball ended the Pirates' last chance. Colorado's bullpen stayed composed. Jimmy Herget pitched 1.1 innings with two strikeouts. Brennan Bernardino struck out two more. Jaden Hill came in for the save and shut the door. The Rockies won 2-1. Pittsburgh fell to 38-39 while Colorado improved to 30-47. The Pirates missed their star center fielder Oneil Cruz, who's out 4-6 weeks with hand fractures. Without him, their offense couldn't find extra runs. The Rockies grabbed their second straight victory, keeping themselves in the race.