Marquez dazzles, Archer fizzles in Pirates 5-0 loss to Rockies

Colorado’s German Marquez scattered three hits and a walk over eight shutout innings as the Rockies downed the Pirates 5-0 at PNC Park in Pittsburgh.

For Chris Archer, it was more of the same. A lack of fastball command leading to 24 pitches in a scoreless first inning where he left two runners on base, then single runs in the second and third and two in the fourth. In the end, four runs in five innings that required 92 pitches to complete.

The first Colorado run came when Daniel Murphy lined a double off the right field wall and went to third on Ian Desmond’s ground out. With Murphy at third, Tony Wolters grounded to Josh Bell at first, who’s throw beat Murphy to the plate, but when caught in a rundown near third base, catcher Francisco Cervelli’s toss nicked Murphy in the helmet, allowing the run to score as the ball rolled away.

Trevor Sory homered to left to open the third, the ball deflecting off the glove of a leaping Bryan Reynolds.

Then in the fourth, Archer walked both Desmond and Wolters with one out, and after the pitcher sacrificed them over, the leadoff batter Charlie Blackmon lined a triple past a diving Starling Marte in left center field.

Chris Stratton then came on to pitch three credible innings for the Pirates, allowing only one run.

Reynolds had a double and a pair of walks, and was robbed of another hit on a fine play by left fielder David Dahl. Other than Reynolds, the entire Pirates offense consisted of singles by Cervelli and Melky Cabrera. Colin Moran struck out swinging against Carlos Estevez to end the game, Moran’s third whiff of the night.

The series continues on Wednesday night at 7:05 p.m. Eastern as Jon Gray (3-4, 4.73) is scheduled to start for Colorado, with the Pirates starter yet to be named.