 allowed three runs on nine hits, settling down to keep the Rockies in check after Story's leadoff homer. He walked none and struck out two.Marte singled and Bell walked to start the Pirates' fifth. One out later, Cabrera drove a 1-1 pitch from Antonio Senzatela into the second deck beyond the right-center field fence for his seventh home run of the season, giving the Pirates a 6-2 lead.Agrazal, who helped himself with a sacrifice fly in the second inning, allowed a double to Desmond and RBI single to Sam Hilliard to start the sixth. He was lifted for Richard Rodriguez, who retired the next three batters to get out of the inning.Senzatela, who failed to get out of the second inning in his last two starts, labored through five innings. Senzatela (8-9) allowed 10 hits and six runs, struck out two and walked one in losing a third consecutive decision.Leading 6-3 going into the top of the seventh, the Pirates got four straight hits off Carlos Estevez, including an RBI single by Bell and loading the bases with none out. But they only added one more run in the inning after Adam Frazier ground into a double play and Elias Diaz was caught in a rundown after singling to drive in the second run.Desmond homered off Francisco Liriano in the Rockies' eighth.WEATHER DELAYThe game was delayed for 16 minutes between the second and third innings because of lightning in the area.UP NEXTPirates: Joe Musgrave (8-12, 4.67 ERA) is facing the Rockies for the second time in his career. He allowed two runs - one earned - in seven innings in a 2-0 setback to Kyle Freeland and the Rockies a year ago.Rockies: RHP Tim Melville (1-0, 0.75 ERA) has allowed one run over 12 innings in his first two starts for Colorado.---More MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/-Sports)
Pirates, Rockies looking for promise in final monthFLMThe Pittsburgh Pirates and Colorado Rockies plan to spend the final month of the regular season getting an early start on player evaluations for next spring.When they meet for the second game of their four-game series on Friday night in Denver, both plan to send out starting pitchers who fit that category. Antonio Senzatela is scheduled to start for the Rockies, opposite fellow right-hander Dario Agrazal for the Pirates.Agrazal (3-3, 4.41 ERA) will be making his first start since his latest recall from Triple-A Indianapolis on Aug. 21.He made his major league debut on June 15 and was 2-0 with a 2.25 ERA after five starts, but then lost three straight starts.Agrazal was sent to Indianapolis after a poor performance against the Milwaukee Brewers on Aug. 5. He came back on Aug. 21 and threw two scoreless innings against the Washington Nationals in his only relief appearance this season, and then won his last outing, allowing four runs and seven hits over five innings in 9-8 win on Sunday against the visiting Cincinnati Reds.Agrazal is filling a hole in the rotation left by Chris Archer, who has been out since Aug. 20 with shoulder discomfort."He's got an opportunity to go out and take some quality innings and continue to show the guy who was really good for those three or four starts, and show that he can make an adjustment back to the league, as they made an adjustment on him in his last three starts," Pirates general manager Neal Huntington told MLB.com on Sunday. "He's fun to watch. He's a pitcher, and he moves the ball around. He doesn't try to overpower people." Agrazal said he expects to improve with each major league appearance."Being able to be in that rotation and gaining more experience, more opportunities, more reps, I definitely feel I'm going to be able to grow from that," Agrazal told reporters through an interpreter after his last start. "Hopefully, it'll continue going forward." Senzatela (8-8, 6.75 ERA) will be making his second start since he was recalled from Triple-A Albuquerque after spending just over a month in the minors.His result in his latest start wasn't much different than his final appearance before getting demoted to Albuquerque. He allowed six runs and five hits in just 1 2/3 innings on Sunday at the St. Louis Cardinals, and the Rockies lost 11-4.In his previous start for the Rockies on July 20, Senzatela allowed six runs and seven hits in 1 1/3 innings of an 11-5 loss at the New York Yankees.He delivered a similar performance in his only meeting against the Pirates this season, allowing eight runs and nine hits in 3 1/3 innings of a 14-6 loss in Pittsburgh on May 18.Chi Chi Gonzalez didn't make it out of the first inning in his series-opening start on Thursday for the Rockies. The Pirates scored seven runs in the first inning and held on to win 11-8.If Senzatela is unable to reach the middle innings on Friday, look for right-handed reliever Wes Parsons to be summoned from the bullpen. Parsons, whom the Rockies claimed off waivers from the Atlanta Braves on Aug. 19, has combined to throw for 5 2/3 innings in his three relief appearances for Colorado so far."I like his mix of pitches, and I really like what I'm seeing from the fastball," Black told reporters before the game Thursday. "He's thrown some breaking balls below the zone. He's thrown the breaking ball for strikes. He's thrown a couple good changeups, as well." --Field Level Media
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