Rockies-Pirates box score

The intention was to keep things low-key.

No chance.

Ian Stewart didn't just hit his first major league home run Tuesday night. He hit a grand slam.

Stewart unloaded a load of frustration that had been building for him and the rest of the Rockies, sending Colorado on its way to a 9-2 victory against the Pirates at Coors Field.

The Rockies hit four home runs in a game for the first time this season while making up ground in their attempt to remain a part of the National League postseason chase.

"Our guys aren't real tight regardless of the results," said manager Clint Hurdle, whose team was coming off back-to-back late-inning losses. "These guys just play the game. Nobody is thinking he has to do anything special."

Then Hurdle paused and smiled.

"But when with one swing of the bat you go from down 1-0 to up 4-1, you kind of feel like, 'Here we go. See if we can add on.' I think it takes a little of the grind away," he said.

No argument among the Rockies.

With the Los Angeles Dodgers losing at Philadelphia, the Rockies moved back into a tie for third place in the NL West, six games behind the first-place Arizona Diamondbacks, losers against the Milwaukee Brewers.

The Rockies also are back to within 2 1/2 games of NL wild-card co-leaders Philadelphia and San Diego, a loser to the New York Mets.

"We had a couple of tough games the last few days, so this was a big win for us," Stewart said. "If we can get on a streak here, it would be awesome."

They certainly built off Stewart's start Tuesday thanks to a Matt Holliday home run that kicked off a three-run fifth inning, then back-to-back home runs by Troy Tulowitzki and Brad Hawpe in the seventh.

More importantly, the Rockies shut down the comeback hopes of a Pirates team that had overcome late-game deficits in winning four of its previous five games.

Give Taylor Buchholz the tip of the hat for that one.

With Elmer Dessens seemingly hitting a wall at 4 2/3 innings for the second time in two starts, Buchholz not only got Dessens out of the two-on, two-out jam in the fifth by inducing Jason Bay to pop up, but he retired 10 of the 11 batters he faced before Ramon Ortiz worked the ninth.

But that's no real surprise. Buchholz has allowed only six earned runs in 31 2/3 innings during his past 18 relief appearances, allowing 24 hits and retiring the first batter he has faced in 15 of the games.

"It is about comfort for me," Buchholz said. "I feel comfortable in this role. I enjoy it."

And Buchholz, along with the rest of his teammates, enjoyed watching the efforts of Stewart, the top position prospect in the organization who is hanging around as an extra bat off the bench and who is getting a look at major league life. He was given a spot start so Garrett Atkins could catch his breath, and the move paid off.

"That was a big boost for us," Buchholz said.

It's just the start for Stewart, who isn't worried about limited playing time.

"I wouldn't be up if they didn't feel I can play at this level," he said. "I know my role is going to be coming off the bench, but when I get a chance to start, I want to help the team."

Mission accomplished.

With one swing of the bat, he drove in more runs than the Rockies had scored in either of their two previous games, losing 4-2 to the Pirates in 11 innings on Monday and 4-3 to the Dodgers in Los Angeles on Sunday.

His hit equaled the number of hits the Rockies had in 11 at-bats with runners in scoring position Monday.

And it came on a 2-1 backdoor slider from Tony Armas Jr. that Stewart stayed on, driving it the opposite way, over the left-field fence, the same pitch, he said Armas threw when Stewart grounded out in the first.

"I'm trying to get the ball in the air to the outfield," Stewart said. "I'm hoping the ball is over (left fielder Jason Bay's head) or, worst case, he catches it and we score a run to tie the game."

It wasn't caught. It over Bay's head, as well as the left-field fence.

"He's a confident hitter," Hurdle said. "He is at a level he's never been at before. They make good pitches here, but they make mistakes."

ringolsbyt@RockyMountainNews.com

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