Pirates swept away in Denver, 3-2

The Rockies completed a sweep of the Pirates by winning 3-2 in a frustrating game for the Bucs on Sunday.

The Bucs got out to a 2-0 lead. Pedro Alvarez homered in the second, and Clint Barmes doubled in the third, then came home on Andrew McCutchen's single.

It wouldn't last. Jeff Locke wasn't exactly great, but he still would have every right to be annoyed at getting tagged with two runs. In the bottom of the third, Locke hit Charlie Blackmon to lead off the inning, and then Blackmon stole second after Chad Bettis failed to bunt him over. Then Blackmon tried to steal third and Locke picked him off, but Bill Welke blew it by calling a balk. Instead of two outs and none on, the Rockies had one out and a man on third, which is just a huge difference. D.J. LeMahieu brought Blackmon home on a sacrifice fly to make it 2-1.

In the sixth, Locke walked Nolan Arenado, then allowed a two-out infield single. Then, after Tony Watson replaced Locke, Pedro Alvarez airmailed a throw to first on a tough play on a ground ball, allowing the tying run to score.

In the following inning, Bryan Morris gave up a two-out single to Wilin Rosario and then a double to the corner by Arenado. That made it 3-2, and that's all the Rockies would need. Neil Walker singled and Tony Sanchez doubled in the ninth to put the go-ahead run on second, but Rex Brothers got Jordy Mercer to line out and Alex Presley to pop out to end it.