Benson superb as Pirates down Rockies
PITTSBURGH (AP) – This is the Kris Benson the Pittsburgh Pirates have waited nearly two years to see. Benson allowed three hits over eight innings in easily his best start of the season and the Pirates beat the slumping Colorado Rockies 4-1 Tuesday night.
Kevin Young’s bases-loaded walk forced in the go-ahead run, and Adam Hyzdu added a two-run double in a three-run eighth inning for the Pirates, who snapped a six-game losing streak.
Benson (4-5), coming off his worst start of the year, struck out five and walked three to send Colorado to its seventh straight loss.
Benson, who returned in May from an 18-month layoff for reconstructive elbow surgery, hadn’t pitched longer than seven innings since his return, partly because he is on a 100-pitch limit.
“I didn’t know if I’d get to the eighth inning this season because I’m not a pitcher who throws a minimal amount of pitches,” Benson said. “But I was able to control my fastball, keep the ball down and throw strikes.”
Benson, still throwing 95 mph in the eighth, was lifted after throwing 87 pitches, 56 for strikes.
“I can’t say that I thought he would be that good this season coming off surgery,” Pirates manager Lloyd McClendon said. “He was fantastic. He had great stuff in the strike zone and he was overpowering at times. He made everybody’s job a little easier … with that kind of stuff, he can stop any losing streak.”
Rockies starter Shawn Chacon limited the Pirates to three hits over seven innings, but reliever Denny Neagle (4-7) quickly got in trouble in the eighth when Jason Kendall singled and Brian Giles doubled.
After Aramis Ramirez was intentionally walked, first baseman Todd Helton threw out Kendall at the plate on Rob Mackowiak’s grounder. But Neagle walked Young on four pitches, only one close to the strike zone, and Hyzdu lined a two-out double to right.
Mike Williams pitched the ninth for his 31st save in 33 chances as the Pirates beat the Rockies for the first time in four meetings this season. Colorado’s losing streak is its longest since dropping 11 in a row in 2000.
Benson, who allowed eight runs in 3 2-3 innings of an 8-0 loss to Houston on Thursday, carried a 1-0 lead into the sixth.
“That kid’s coming,” Rockies manager Clint Hurdle said. “I saw him look good two years ago and he’s coming back.”
Chacon helped himself with a leadoff single in the sixth, his eighth hit of the season, moved to third on Brent Butler’s one-out double and scored the tying run on Helton’s sacrifice fly.
Chacon might have been working on a shutout if it weren’t for a rare misplay in the third by right fielder Larry Walker. With two outs and Kendall on first after walking, an onrushing Walker overran Giles’ line drive and the ball carried nearly to the wall as Kendall scored and Giles went to third.
Walker was initially charged with an error and Giles was credited with a single but, an inning later, the official scorer took away the error and gave Giles a triple.
“I missed it. It’s an error,” Walker said. “I’ve been trying to get him to change it back. It took a bad bounce, but I played it badly. That’s my fault.”
After that, Chacon limited the Pirates to two singles over the next four innings before being lifted for a pinch-hitter. He gave up three hits, walked four and struck out five over seven innings, but did not figure in the decision.
“I wasn’t worried about anything,” said Chacon, possibly pitching to keep his spot in the rotation. “When you start to sense there’s doubt, you kind of want to reinforce the thought in people’s minds that you’re a starting pitcher.”
NOTES: Benson was 21-26 with Pittsburgh in 1999 and 2000. … Chacon came in 0-2 with a 15.63 ERA – 13 runs in 6 1-3 innings – in two career starts against Pittsburgh. … Walker went 1-for-3 with a double, running his hitting streak to 13 games. He is batting .417 (35-for-84) in July and is about to become the first hitter since the Yankees’ Paul O’Neill in 1994 to hit .400 in consecutive months. Walker hit .410 in June. … Walker stranded Juan Pierre at second when Benson fooled him with a high fastball, striking him out looking in the eighth. … Newly acquired Rockies C Sandy Alomar Jr. did not play. … The Pirates recalled RHP Brian Meadows from Triple-A Nashville and announced he would start Thursday. He was 36-44 with the Marlins, Padres and Royals from 1998-2001.