Pirates sweep Rockies with 5-3 win

The Pirates overcame a three-run deficit to complete a sweep of the Rockies Sunday with a 5-3 victory.

Jeff Locke gave up a two-run shot Josh Rutledge in the first and a solo homer to our old friend Michael McKenry, who wrapped a pitch around the right field foul pole in the second.

Gaby Sanchez and Neil Walker led off the bottom of the second with singles, however, and both came home on Jordy Mercer's ground-ball single up the middle. The Pirates tied the game in the sixth when Mercer walked and stole second, then came home on Chris Stewart's ground-rule double.

In the seventh, Matt Belisle relieved Tyler Matzek, and Josh Harrison walked, stole second, and came home on Andrew McCutchen's single. After McCutchen got caught stealing, Neil Walker hit a solo homer to dead center to make it 5-3.

Jeanmar Gomez picked up the win with a scoreless seventh in relief of Locke, who ended up with a quality start. Tony Watson and Mark Melancon were perfect in the eighth and ninth, respectively, in a welcome example of the bullpen doing what it's supposed to.